COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM | TOURISM SATELLITE ACCOUNT | TSA | NERACA SATELIT PARIWISATA

Tourism Satellite Account (Neraca Satelit Pariwisata)

2009-06-22T18:12:00.001-07:00

Oleh: Dieny Ferbianty

Pendahuluan

Pariwisata merupakan suatu fenomena yang tumbuh pesat setelah Perang Dunia II. Situasi ini menimbulkan keinginan untuk mengukur kontribusi pariwisata terhadap perekonomian dan mengevaluasi ketergantungan pariwisata terhadap aktifitas sosial dan ekonomi lain di suatu negara. Oleh karena itulah setiap negara mengembangkan neraca pariwisata sendirinya.

Sejarah Tourism Satellite Account (TSA)
Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), direkomendasikan sebagai kerangka acuan kerja yang direkomendasikan untuk mengukur dampak pariwisata terhadap sektor ekonomi, yang telah dirintis sejak akhir tahun 1970-an. Sejak tahun 1970-an ,Prancis telah menggunakan istilah “Satellite Account” sebagai cara untuk merancang metode akuntansi yang tidak bisa diidentifikasi secara lengkap dalam Sistem National Account (SNA). Meskipun begitu TSA bias dianggap sebagai “Satellite Sub System” dari SNA dan adanya sifat saling membagi data antar keduanya. Tahun 1982 United Nation World Trade Organisation (UNWTO) mempercayakan Jose Quevedo dari Spanyol, untuk mempersiapkan dokumen yang akan memggambarkan pariwisata, mengikuti rekomendasi SNA yang telah ada sebelumnya. Dokumen tersebut diajukan pada Pertemuan UNWTO ke V di New Delhi tahun 1983. Hal ini dilakukan mengingat mendesaknya kepentingan keseragaman pengukuran yang menyeluruh dan perbandingannya dengan sektor lain dalam usaha menciptakan harmonisasi dalam konsep statistik pariwisata internasional.
Pada tahun 1991, Komite Pariwisata dari OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development) telah mempunyai standar tersendiri untuk mengukur dampak pariwisata terhadap perekonomian di Negara-negara anggotanya, yang disebut Tourism Economic Account (TEA) Pada tahun yang sama diselenggarakan Konferensi Internasional Statistik Pariwisata dan Perjalanan (International Conference of Travel & Tourism Statistic) di Ottawa, Kanada yang diselenggarakan UNWTO. Pada waktu itu Kanada telah mempunyai neraca pariwisata sendiri, yang mempelopori bentuk neraca seperti TSA. Bahkan pada tahun 1994, Kanada telah mempublikasikan neraca satelit pariwisatanya tersebut. Sementara itu Eurostat, sebuah badan Eropa yang mengurus data statistic, juga telah mempunyai bentuk neraca pariwisata sendiri yang disebut Recommendation on Tourism Statistics.
Pada bulan Maret 2000, Divisi Statistik PBB menyetujui pedoman kerjasama WTO, OECD, Eurotstat dalam menyusun TSA sebagai usaha untuk menciptakan suatu sistem statistik internasional. Pada tahun ini juga, UN Statistical Commision menerbitkan Draft Recommended Methodological Framework, sebagai acuan kerja TSA. Walaupun pembuatan TSA ini tidak diwajibkan, namun sejak itu banyak negara di dunia mulai menyusun TSA nya. Indonesia sendiri mulai menggunakan acuan kerja ini sejak tahun 2001. Hingga tahun 2007 tercatat 70 negara yang telah menggunakannya. (http//www.wto.org/English/tratop_e/serv_tsa_tech_series_31.pdf, diakses tanggal 20 Juni 2007)

Tourism Satellite Account
Apakah TSA itu?
Tingkatan yang paling sederhana dalam menampilkan Neraca Pariwisata , yang biasanya merupakan bagian dari Neraca Non Riil, berupa Pembayaran dari wisatawan mancanegara yang mengunjungi Negara itu dikurangi oleh pembayaran di luar negeri yang dilakukan oleh penduduk negara tersebut yang berwisata ke luar negari (Bull,1995:179)
Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), adalah system statistik yang menggambarkan dampak/akibat-akibat yang ditimbulkan pariwisata terhadap perekonomian dengan menyeluruh. TSA ini disusun sebagai bentuk kerjasama internasional, yang direkomendasikan oleh PBB, WTO pada tahun 2000.(http://pub.world-tourism.org, diakses tanggal 20 Juni 2007).
TSA merupakan standar pengukuran dampak, kontribusi pariwisata terhadap perekonomian di suatu wilayah yang ditetapkan oleh PBB,WTO dan OECD(http://globalinsight.com, diakses tanggal 20 Juni 2007).
TSA ini mencakup permintaan akan barang dan jasa yang dipicu oleh pariwisata dan supply yang disediakan oleh negara/daerah tujuan wisata termasuk impor yang dilakukan untuk pariwisata.

Tulisan ini akan dilanjutkan pada waktu yang akan datang. Saranusul, tambahan informasi yang akan memperkaya tulisan ini sanngatlah dinanti.

Tourism Satellite Account (TSA)

2009-06-22T18:10:00.001-07:00

A Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) is a statistical accountant framework in the field of tourism and measures the goods and services according to international standards of concepts, classifications and definitions which allow valid comparisons from country to country in a consistent manner. A complete TSA contains detailed production accounts of the tourism industry and their linkages to other industries, employment, capital formation and additional non-monetary information on tourism.

Why TSA is necessary
Statistical reasons:

Unlike output defined industries, such as agriculture or manufacturing, the primarily demand-defined tourism industry is not measured as a sector in its own right in National Accounts. Most of the statistical information provided on the specifics and developments of tourism is primarily based on arrivals and overnight stay statistics as well as balance of payments information.

Economic policy reasons:
Europe is the tourist destination N° 1 in the world. Depending on the definition of the tourism sector it employs between about 8.6 and 24 million people in the Community (corresponding to around 4 and 11 % of total labour force) and creates 4 or 11 % of the Community’s GDP.

This major economic importance of tourism for the economy - made evident by some TSA-based estimations - increased the awareness of the importance of the sector, its socio-cultural and environmental impacts as well as its contributions to the achieving of the goals of the Lisbon strategy - to increase economic growth and to create more and better jobs.

The currently available statistics, however, do not sufficiently grasp the whole economic phenomenon of tourism.

History
In the late 1980s the OECD, UN and WTO encouraged the evolution of a tourism specific economic data system which is coherent with the concepts, classifications and definitions of national accounting standards. A Recommended Methodological Framework was concluded between UN, OECD, the World Tourism Organisation and Eurostat in 2000 and published by the UN in 2001.

EUROSTAT worked out an implementation manual for the EU with the aim to provide operational guidelines for empirical compilation of the TSA in an efficient procedure.

Source: Source: European Commission, Enterprise and Industry Tourism

International Tourist Arrivals and Tourism Receipts by Region and Country

2009-06-22T18:09:00.001-07:00

Tourism Indicators » Inbound Tourism » International Tourist Arrivals & Tourism Receipts by country

International Tourist Arrivals :

Africa : Download (pdf)
The Americas : Download (pdf)
Asia and the Pacific : Download (pdf)
Europe : Download (pdf)
Middle East : Download (pdf)

International Tourism Receipts (US$)

Africa : Download (pdf)
The Americas : Download (pdf)
Asia and the Pacific : Download (pdf)
Europe : Download (pdf)
Middle East : Download (pdf)

TSA: Tourism Satellite Account

2009-06-22T18:07:00.001-07:00

Apakah Tujuan TSA?
Pariwisata merupakan situasi sementara dari wisatawan : wisatawan mengadakan perjalanan ke suatu tempat yang bukan lingkungan biasa, kurang dari 1 tahun, dan bukan untuk bekerja, inilah yang membedakan wisatawan dengan konsumen lain. Karakter khusus dari wisatawan ini tidak bias diakomodir oleh system yang ada sebelumnya (SNA), dimana para pembuat transaksi digolongkan berdasarkan sifat permanen, yaitu bahwa mereka berada di Negara masing-masing. Selain itu karena pariwisata tidak diukur berdasarkan produksi seprti sector-sektor lain, tetapi berdasarkan apa yang dibeli wisatawan dan Pariwisata merupaka aktifitas permintaan yang menyentuh banyak industri seperti : akomodasi,transportasi, makanan, minuman dan hiburan.
TSA ini dirancang dengan tujuan untuk mengukur dampak ekonomi dari perjalanan dan pariwisata dalam skala nasional,regional,ataupun internasional secara lebih akurat dan kompprehensif. Dengan adanya standar yang berlaku secara internasional, maka setiap Negara menyusun Neraca Pariwisata Nasionalnya dengan cara yang sama, sehingga pengukuran terhadap aktifitas pariwisata konsisten dan bisa diperbandingkan antar negara. Misalnya, untuk mengetahui dampak pariwisata terhadap upah di Negara Guam, kita bisa langsung melihatnya dari tabel/pos neraca upah yang sama, yang telah ditentukan dalam TSA (http://globalinsight.com, diakses tanggal 20 Juni 2007). Tujuan lain dari disusunnya TSA adalah untuk menganalisa secara detail semua aspek permintaan barang dan jasa yang berhubungan dengan pariwisata, untuk menggambarkan bagaimana supply berinteraksi dengan aktifitas ekonomi lain (http://pub_world_tourism_.org, diakses tanggal 20 Juni 2007.

Apakah Keuntungan Menggunakan TSA?
Keuntungan menggunakan TSA :
1. Bisa mengkomunikasikan nilai dari pariwisata bagi para pembuat kebijakan, pebisnis maupun masyarakat, hal ini dilungkinkan karena TSA menghitung kotribusi pariwisata terhadap GDP, lapangan pekerjaan, upah dan pajak serta keuntungan untuk sektor ekonomi lain
2. Dapat menjawab pertanyaan, cukupkah promosi dan prasarana yang disediakan pemerintah untuk pariwisata? Hal ini memungkinkan, karena dalam TSA terdapat perbandingan antara dorongan yang dilakukn pemerintah dan pendapatan yang diperoleh
3. Dalam TSA, para pembuat kebijakan bis membandingkan pertumbuhan pariwisata dengan sector industri lain, sehingga mereka dapat menentukan target pembangunan ekonomi yang mana yang terbaik.
4. TSA memungkinkan seorang peneliti untuk menilai sehat tidaknya suatu penanaman modal dalam suatu industri pariwisata.
5. TSA menyediakan standar internasional yang dapat dijadikan bahan “Benchmarking” bagi negara-negara di dunia. .(http://globalinsight.com, diakses tanggal 20 Juni 2007).

UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics in Bali: Tourism: an engine for employment creation and economic stimulus

2009-06-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

The tourism industry continues to be amongst the most dynamic economic sectors, generating a wide range of benefits including a growing contribution to GDP, in some cases over 10 percent, and substantial foreign exchange earnings. Tourism as a reliable tool for sustainable job creation was at the center of the 5th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics (Bali, Indonesia, March 3-April 2), with 450 participants from 70 countries and nine international organizations.

Tourism plays a crucial role in the creation of employment, which is especially important during the current economic crisis. The key challenges are to establish sustainable policies to enhance both the quantity and quality of employment in the tourism industry.

Participants in the conference underscored the importance of public-private cooperation, particularly in the framework of advancing the Decent Work Agenda promoted by the International Labour Organization (ILO, a key partner of UNWTO within the UN family). In this regard it was agreed to both protect and promote the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) as a powerful brand, which should be carefully developed and applied for the measurement of tourism’s contribution to developed and developing economies alike.

UNWTO’s secretary-general ad interim Taleb Rifai said, “It’s crucial that we offer technical assistance to our member states to enable them to measure how many jobs tourism generates in the economy, tourism’s contribution to GDP, and tourism’s ranking in comparison with other sectors of the economy.”

The International Conference on Tourism Statistics coincided with the efforts of the G20, meeting in London, UK, to stimulate the global economy. The TSA further underscores the potential of tourism and travel in any stimulus package and the shift towards a green economy, as stated in an open message by UNWTO to the G20.

Against this background, Mr. Rifai added: “In many countries, tourism has suffered from a lack of political and popular support, because its true economic significance has often been underestimated. Now there is increasing awareness of tourism’s role as a productive activity and its potential to generate employment, government income, and other benefits whether directly or through induced effects in the economy. This is increasingly important due to the role tourism can play in combating the current crisis.”

The conference was jointly organized by UNWTO and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, with the support of the UN Statistics Division (UNSD), the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the ILO, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

For complete information Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) Data on the conference. Please Click

TSA data around the world, Bali TSA Conference

Source: www.eturbonews.com

System of Tourism Statistics (STS)

2009-06-22T17:49:00.000-07:00

A System of Tourism Statistics (STS) should be understood, as that part of the National Statistical System (NSS) providing reliable, consistent and appropriate statistical information on the socio-economic aspects related to tourism, integrated within all the economic and social statistics related to other fields, at different territorial levels (national –or federal, where appropriate-, infra-national and international).

The design of a national STS should be viewed as the basic coordination and integration framework of the statistical information produced by all tourism stakeholders. Concepts, definitions, classifications, data, indicators, aggregates and table of results relating to tourism, designed so as to provide an exhaustive description of the tourism phenomenon in all its aspects (physical, social, economic, etc.) and a measurement of its economic contribution within a context of international comparability are a structural part of the NSS.

The new International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics 2008 (IRTS 2008) and 2008 Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework (TSA:RMF 2008) constitute the updated reference framework for the STS. As a consequence, they should be used as a reference for harmonization, coordination and integration of available tourism statistical information, although this information might extend in the coming years beyond the still restricted domain these recommendations touch upon: for instance, by extending the concept of consumption to include other components of demand (such as collective consumption and gross fixed capital formation), by developing the sub-national perspective, by developing the link with other statistical system such as that on environmental issues, etc.

For a more detailed description see:

Source: www.unwto.org

The Social Construction of Tourism

2009-06-22T17:48:00.001-07:00

Cultural Tourism has become a major industry worldwide. In countries like France, Italy, England the "culture" that is displayed and encountered by the traveller is that of the levels of what we call High Culture within the overall social framework of those countries. Elsewhere, and particularly in the colonised (as opposed to colonising) countries, this is not the case.In these instances Cultural Tourism takes on the ambiance of an encounter with the Exotic Other. And this other, is usually the indigenous person living in a subbordinated role in their own land. They are often exploited by other tourism operators for the tourist dollar, and rarely do they own and control the way that they are portrayed, or the kinds of dicourse they can have with the traveller. Critical Cultural Tourism addresses these issues. In this PDF we will interrogate the issue of the colonisation, displacement, replacement and renaming by which a socially constructed history is developed. We will look at what role this dominant culture version of history plays in the tourism industry. We look at the impact of international capital and globalisation on indigenous prople in general and on cultural tourism in particular. Finally we unpack the issue of commodification in the Tourism Industry which leads to the production of products and practices that are insulting to the intelligence of the traveller and the tourism operator alike, and we pose the question "Is it possible to have an authentic Cultural Tourism experience?" And if so, what would it look like?

Download PDF here

Source: www.tonywardedu.com

Urban Tourism

2009-06-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

Urban tourism is the set of tourist resources or activities located in towns and cities and offered to visitors from elsewhere. (IQM, 2000)

Definition of Tourism

2009-06-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

It comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited.

Tourism is different from travel. In order for tourism to happen, there must be a displacement: an individual has to travel, using any type of means of transportation (he might even travel on foot: nowadays, it is often the case for poorer societies, and happens even in more developed ones, and concerns pilgrims, hikers …). But all travel is not tourism.

Three criteria are used simultaneously in order to characterize a trip as belonging to tourism. The displacement must be such that:

It involves a displacement outside the usual environment: this term is of utmost importance and will be discussed later on;
Type of purpose: the travel must occur for any purpose different from being remunerated from within the place visited: the previous limits, where tourism was restricted to recreation and visiting family and friends are now expanded to include a vast array of purposes;
Duration: only a maximal duration is mentioned, not a minimal. Tourism displacement can be with or without an overnight stay. We shall discuss the particularity of in transit visits, from a conceptual and statistical point of view.

Source: unwto

Akses ke Objek Wisata Tangkahan Rusak Parah

2008-08-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

Jalan yang menuju ke kawasan objek wisata Tangkahan, kabupaten Langkat, Sumatera Utara saat ini dalam kondisi rusak parah. Selain banyak jalan berlubang hingga kedalaman setengah meter, banyak jembatan dalam kondisi rapuh dan mudah sekali ambruk jika dilewati kendaraan melebihi batas muatannya.
Kerusakan jalan ini membuat jarak dari Medan menuju Tangkahan sepanjang 93 kilo meter ditempuh dalam waktu yang relatif sangat lama, lima hingga enam jam. Kondisi jalan yang beraspal praktis hanya sampai di sekitar Pasar Batang Serangan. Padahal dari Pasar Batang Serangan menuju Tangkahan yang masih berjarak 30 kilo meter kondisi jalannya hampir semuanya tak beraspal.
Bila turun hujan, kondisi jalan dari Pasar Batang Serangan menuju Tangkahan bak kubangan. Perjalanan Kompas menuju Tangkahan hari Senin (18/8) lalu sempat tertahan di tengah jalan, karena ada truk pengangkut tandan buah segar (TBS) kelapa sawit yang terjebak setelah roda depan truk tersebut terjebak di jalan berlumpur.
Di beberapa titik terdapat jembatan yang kondisinya sangat rapuh. Rata-rata konstruksi jembatan terbuat dari kayu dan tak kuat menahan beban kendaraan dengan tonase besar. Padahal kendaraan yang melintas di jalan tersebut selain bus jurusan Medan-Tangkahan, juga truk-truk pengangkut TBS sawit serta CPO (crude palm oil/minyak kelapa sawit). Pengemudi yang melintasi jembatan tersebut harus ekstra hati-hati bila tak mau terguling kendaraannya.
Menurut Ketua Harian Lembaga Pariwisata Tangkahan (LPT) Seh Ukur Sembiring jalan yang rusak membuat wisatawan enggan mengunjungi Tangkahan. Pemerintah daerah kata Seh Ukur seperti tak peduli dengan kondisi rusaknya jalan. PTPN II yang memiliki kebun hampir di sepanjang jalan antara Batang Serangan menuju Tangkahan kata Seh Ukur juga kurang peduli dengan rusaknya jalan, meski kendaraan mereka tiap hari melewati jalan tersebut.
"Masyarakat terpaksa berswadaya memperbaiki jalan, tetapi kemampuan kami kan juga terbatas.Paling yang diperbaiki hanya jalan yang mendekati Tangkahan," katanya. Dana swadaya masyarakat dari tiket masuk menuju Tangkahan, kata Seh Ukur terpaksa digunakan untuk memperbaiki kondisi rusaknya jalan. Padahal kalau pemerintah daerah mau memperbaiki jalan ini, katanya, masyarakat rela harus menyerahkan semua pemasukan dari obyek wisata di Tangkahan untuk pemerintah.
Denny, wisatawan asal Labuhan Batu mengatakan, dari obyek wisata yang ditawarkan sebenarnya Tangkahan sangat sempurna sebagai ecotourism unggulan di Sumut. Sayangnya kondisi jalan menuju Tangkahan rusak parah.
"Entah apa yang diperbuat Bupati Langkat selama ini untuk memperbaiki kondisi tersebut. Padahal kalau melihat jumlah wisatawan yang datang ke Tangkahan, ini jelas potensi yang besar," ujarnya.
Kepala Badan Pariwisata Daerah Sumut Henry Hutabarat mengatakan, dia akan menyurati Gubernur Sumut Syamsul Arifin yang juga bekas Bupati Langkat agar mau membenahi jalan menuju Tangkahan.
"Ini harus jadi catatan Gubernur Sumut karena Tangkahan kan dulu juga wilayah dia. Kalau memang Gubernur ingin rakyatnya tidak lapar, salah satunya dia harus mau memperbaiki jalan menuju Tangkahan agar kondisi perekonomian masyarakat di sana juga meningkat," ujar Henry.

Sumber: Kompas, Rabu, 20 Agustus 2008

The trouble in managing heritage buildings in Indonesia

2008-07-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

By: Matheos Viktor Messakh

As the executive director of the National Archive Building Foundation, Tamalia Alisjahbana has her own perspective on how to preserve heritage buildings in the country.
Tamalia criticized the management of heritage buildings in Indonesia, which is the responsibility of the Finance Ministry and is ruled by the Financial Law.
"With that law, heritage buildings are purely considered to be commercial assets. But a heritage is not purely a commercial asset, it is also a historical, cultural asset."
"So it is not suitable if you look at a heritage building only as a commercial asset."
The daughter of writer Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana said the way the government managed heritage buildings had made some donors withdraw their donations.
"If it's a modern building, you can't let a third party rent the building for a long period. But if it's a heritage building, you've got to have a long period for the management," she said.
"It's very hard to raise the money. Who would donate money to you if you only run the management for five years?"
Tamalia said that since the country also has a law on heritage buildings, a permit for a third party to manage a heritage building should come from the ministry of tourism and culture.
She said the Finance Ministry should sit down with the Tourism and Culture Ministry to draft a regulation.
"This has never been done. So it's all now under the Finance Ministry. They don't have the expertise and they don't have the time. They have so many important things to do," Tamalia said.
"Heritage buildings are not at the top of their priority list. Heritage buildings are something new for the Finance Ministry. They really need to work with the Tourism and Culture Ministry if we are going to save our heritage buildings."
As with the National Archive Building, Tamalia said that the foundation could manage to preserve buildings.
"We are the only self-sustained museum and we are proud of that," she said, adding that today most governments aim for public-private partnerships to maintain heritage buildings.
"It's too heavy for the government if they don't have that kind of cooperation. Governments all over the world experience this problem.
"It's actually very good that we are doing this. First of all, it helps the government to save money for more important thing and secondly, they often don't have the people with the knowledge and expertise," Tamalia said .
Although admitting that the foundation's earnings had been low this year, the foundation has managed to maintain the National Archive Building with sinking funds.
"We have been putting aside money every year. Now we have the money and we are negotiating with the contractors to renovate the main building."

Source: The Jakarta Post , Jakarta, Tuesday, 07/15/2008

Ubud residents send prince on final journey

2008-07-17T04:43:00.000-07:00

By: I Wayan Juniartha

For many people -- tourists, international media, and romantic Balinese -- the grand cremation ceremony held on Tuesday in Ubud was a clear example of the Balinese people's devotion toward royal patrons and the splendor and grandiose nature of their cultural heritage.

With a 28-meter-tall bade (tower used to carry the deceased's body to the cemetery), gigantic petulangan (wooden sarcophagus inside which the body is cremated) in the form of a black bull with golden horns, an elaborately decorated Naga Banda (giant dragon symbolizing the deceased's worldly attachments), a holy host group of 60 Hindu high priests and a watching crowd of around 15,000 people, the royal cremation was indeed a feast for the eyes.
Yet, as in other elaborate Balinese-Hindu rituals, there were aspects of the royal cremation ceremony that escaped the public's attention.
One of those things involved the personal sacrifices made by Ubud's residents, locals and expatriates. For weeks, the residents of Jl. Suweta, where the royal palace lies and most of the ceremony's preparations took place, had to drive through a narrow alley to reach their homes.
The construction of two giant royal bade at the southern end of the street had made people reluctant to enter the street at all. The construction of 68 petak (makeshift ceremonial chambers) for the remains of the 68 non-royals that would be cremated on the same day, had rendered the southern section of the road virtually impassable.
Needless to say that several restaurants, art galleries and shops along the street suffered a significant drop in revenue.
"Sometimes, this kind of thing is inevitable when you live in Bali," a resident of Jl. Suweta said.
On the day of the ceremony, the people of Ubud made another personal sacrifice: Electricity was switched off for the whole day. Overhead electrical cables that might have hampered the movement of the cremation's giant structures were taken down. The patrons of Ubud's small-scale pensions and guesthouses had to do with cold showers on the day while Internet addicts paid through the nose to access the Internet via their cell phones.
"Another sacrifice was made by the trees along the procession's route," Bulan Nadi, a local housewife said.
On the night before the ceremony, a group of people armed with buzzing chainsaws inspected the route and then cut down trees they believed would obstruct the movement of the bade. By the next morning, dozens of trees had gone and sawdust could be seen strewn across the street.
"This street will be barren after the ceremony," Bulan lamented.
Yet, all these sacrifices seemed less significant than the ones made by the women of Ubud, who for three months had worked tirelessly to prepare both the royal cremation and the cremations of their 68 relatives.
To a large extent, Balinese-Hindu rituals are "women's business". Women make the majority of the intricate offerings and carry out most of the tasks in the rituals.
In a cremation ritual of this magnitude, the number of offerings and other ritual paraphernalia could easily reach tens of thousands.
"Do you know how exhausted we get after making and then re-counting 28,000 jaja (ritual cakes)," Bulan Nadi said.
The number of offerings for each ceremonial structure, including individual ceremonial meal portions prepared for the deceased, must be precisely in accordance with the number given by the priest and tukang banten (an offerings expert) who supervised the ceremony's preparation.
"If you make less than the given number, the ceremony will be deemed incomplete. If you make more than the given number, particularly in a cremation ceremony, then it is widely believed that more people will die in the next few days, as the number of souls will always correspond with the number of available offerings," she said.
The preparation period, which took almost three months, was a grueling, time-consuming, and, often, frustrating period for the Balinese. Consequently, a large number of people often fall ill after completing a big religious ceremony -- and Ubud is no exception.
Bulan Nadi said she had fallen ill twice during the preparation period. Her husband also suffered an acute case of exhaustion.
Meanwhile, the guardian of the royal family of Ubud, Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa, was no longer the fresh, charming and physically fit prince he was prior to the start of the ceremony's preparation period.
"I am very tired. So many things to do, so many things to organize," Kerthyasa said.
The daunting task of organizing a grand cremation such as this one, which involved thousands of helpers from 67 different traditional villages in Bali, had certainly drained his energy.
"Not to mention that we have to do all of this while we are still mourning the loss of our loved one," he added.
He was referring to Tjokorda Gede Agung Suyasa, the Prince of Ubud, the former Bendesa (chief) of Ubud for three decades and the man whose body would be carried atop the towering bade.
Throughout his life, Suyasa was very close, emotionally and psychologically, to Kerthyasa. In Suyasa's last days, Kerthyasa was among the few individuals permitted by the elderly prince to enter his chamber and keep him company.
Many believe that upon Suyasa's passing, Kerthyasa would take his position as leader of the arguably most powerful royal family in Bali.
Similar exhaustion and sadness could be seen on the faces of the members of Ubud families that cremated their loved ones that day.
In Balinese-Hindu philosophy, a cremation releases the soul of the departed from the cocoon of his or her physical body. At the same time, it finalizes the separation between the grieving family and their dearly beloved.
"It's a mixed feeling of knowing that your loved one started his or her final journey ... after the cremation our separation will also be finalized," Bulan Nadi said.
It was before this background setting of physical exhaustion and emotional grief that the royal cremation ceremony was commenced at noon Tuesday. Dressed in purple T-shirts emblazoned with the words Kula Warga Puri Agung Ubud (The People and Relatives of the Ubud Royal Palace), some 8,000 of Ubud's men and male youths waited patiently for their turn to carry the bade and the cremation's other giant structures.
In front of the palace's southern gate, an old man lifted a sacred tawa-tawa (gong) and after a brief moment of silence, struck the gong repeatedly.
The striking of the gong, which is believed to posses the supernatural quality of being able to command legions of invisible creatures residing in woods and gorges around Ubud, signified the official beginning of the ceremony. The sound of the instrument instructed the creatures to assist the people of Ubud with the ceremony, particularly with carrying the bade's eleven tons.
As the gong filled the air with strange metallic tones, a powerful gust of wind suddenly passed through the gate, sending a cold shiver down the spines of the men who stood near it.
"They are coming," the old man said solemnly.
That was another thing that eluded the public's eyes on the day.

Source: The Jakarta Post, Thursday, 07/17/2008

Ecotourism conference held in Bali

2008-07-17T04:33:00.000-07:00

A conference on ecotourism is being held in Bali by the Forum for East Asia and Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) from July 17 to 18.
"The countries in the two regions (East Asia and Latin America) have the world's best ecotourism destinations and they have identified efforts to strengthen cooperation in ecotourism among FEALAC member countries," said the director for inter-regional cooperation at the Foreign Ministry, Dian Wirengiurit, on Thursday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
The conference is being attended by around 200 representatives of 24 FEALAC member countries.
Wirengiurit said the conference follows a decision made by the FEALAC Working Group in a meeting in Korea in October 2007.
The decision acknowledged the importance of initiating programs supporting FEALAC efforts in enhancing cooperation between East Asian and Latin American countries, particularly in the economic and social fields.
Speakers at the two-day conference will include experts and officials from Brazil, Argentine, Korean, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines and Indonesia.
The theme of the conference is "Towards Sustainable Ecotourism Development in East Asia and Latin America".
A survey of the tourism market shows that the market for ecotourism in Latin America and Europe was increasing by about 30 percent a year, while in Asia and Pacific the rate of increase is more than 20 percent a year.
The ecotourism market has also proven to easily adapt to changes in trends in tourism, and to have strong survival and fast recovery capability from different threats and challenges such as bombing incidents, war and even the SARS epidemic.
All FEALAC member countries possess natural beauty and unique culture to be offered as ecotourism potentials, and the development of nature and culture tourism products has beenincreasing in recent years in the two regions.
Among objectives of the conference were to raise awareness among all tourism stakeholders about the importance of responsible and sustainable ecotourism development, to exchangeexperience and best practices in developing ecotourism, and to establish FEALAC Ecotourism Network.
Established in 2001, FEALAC has 33 member countries including Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Panama, Thailand and Peru.

Source: Antara , Thursday, 07/17/2008

Seribu Harapan di Setra Dalam Ubud

2008-07-16T05:11:00.000-07:00

Oleh BENNY DWI KOESTANTO

Sejatinya ke mana perginya jiwa-jiwa orang meninggal? Bukankah sebenarnya jiwa-jiwa itu tidak pergi, tapi justru pulang ke Sang Pemilik Kehidupan? Maka, berbahagialah mereka yang mengantar kepulangan itu dengan penuh syukur dan sukacita.

Mengikuti, menyaksikan, dan merasakan upacara pelebon/ngaben (kremasi) keluarga kerajaan di Puri Agung Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, sepekan terakhir seperti memandang diri sendiri di hadapan cermin.
Dalam tradisi masyarakat Bali, tubuh seseorang hanyalah wadah bagi jiwanya. Saat seseorang meninggal dipercayai bahwa atman atau jiwa tetap di sekitar tubuh. Tubuh terdiri dari unsur api, udara, air, bumi, dan ruang hampa harus kembali ke alam semesta, menyatu dengan Sang Pencipta. Inilah tujuan ngaben.

Kematian sejatinya bukan akhir, tetapi awal. Lebih penting lagi cara hidup seseorang dan bagaimana harapan sangat kuat keluarga almarhum setelah kematian datang.

Itulah yang jelas tertangkap dari cara sanak keluarga, rekan, dan warga melaksanakan ngaben atau pelebon. Nyaris tidak ada tangis, tapi wajah-wajah bersemangat, penuh harapan bagi yang telah meninggal, maupun yang ditinggalkan.

Kremasi tiga anggota keluarga Puri Agung Ubud ini tergolong peristiwa besar, bahkan terbesar dalam tiga dasawarsa terakhir. Maka, ketika ngaben mencapai puncaknya, Selasa (15/7), ruas jalan sepanjang 2 kilometer di Jalan Raya Ubud selebar 5 meter dan jadi jalur arak-arakan jenazah menuju Setra (pemakaman) Dalam Puri Agung Ubud dari Kompleks Puri Agung Ubud disesaki manusia, warga setempat, warga daerah lain Bali, hingga turis dari mancanegara. Panitia menaksir jumlah hadirin mencapai 300.000 orang.

Tiga orang yang dikremasi itu tergolong dituakan dan terpandang. Mereka adalah Tjokorda Gde Agung Suyasa, kepala keluarga Puri Agung Ubud dan ketua komunitas tradisional di Ubud sejak 1976; Tjokorda Gede Raka, seorang pensiunan di Kepolisian Kota Besar Denpasar; dan Gung Niang Raka. Turut pula dikremasi 68 jenazah dari empat banjar desa adat sekitar Puri Agung Ubud: Banjar Sambahan, Ubud Tengah, Ubud Kelod Peken, dan Ubud Kaja.

Tjokorda Agung Suyasa lahir 14 Juli 1941, anak ketiga dari Tjokorda Gde Ngurah dari permaisuri pertama Tjokorda Istri Muter. Suyasa meninggal 28 Maret 2008, sedangkan Tjokorda Gde Raka dari Puri Anyar Ubud meninggal sepekan sebelumnya. Desak Raka adalah istri pertama dari almarhum Tjokorda Raka dari Puri Kaleran Belingsung Ubud. Desak Raka lahir 1917 dan meninggal 23 Desember 2007. Jenazah Desak Raka sebenarnya pernah dikremasi pada pelebon sederhana, beberapa saat setelah meninggalnya. Namun, kini memperoleh kremasi lengkap.

Juru bicara Puri Ubud, Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa, menjelaskan ngaben kali ini adalah pertama terbesar sejak 1979 saat ngaben seniman masyhur Ubud yang juga keturunan puri, Cokorda Gde Agung Sukawati. Mengingat fungsi puri/kerajaan dianggap penting dari sisi penegak moral dan ritual keagamaan, dukungan masyarakat di Bali pun sedemikian besar. Setidaknya 68 desa adat se-Bali secara gotong royong membantu upacara ini. ”Pelebon bukanlah suatu acara duka, tetapi diyakini sebagai cara menghibur jiwa-jiwa yang telah meninggal dan menjaga agar jiwa mereka tidak terganggu oleh tangisan yang ditinggal. Di sisi lain, pelebon merupakan bentuk gotong royong seluruh anggota keluarga dan masyarakat untuk mengurangi beban biaya,” kata Kerthyasa, Jumat lalu.

Menurut Kerthyasa, berapa pun besarnya biaya upacara keagamaan—biaya fisik dalam seluruh ritual kremasi di Puri Agung Ubud kali ini sekitar Rp 3 miliar—upacara itu tidak dapat berhenti di tengah jalan. ”Dalam ngaben niri (sendiri) biaya bisa di atas Rp 50 juta dari kantong pribadi, tapi dalam ngaben massal biaya bisa ditekan jadi Rp 5 juta,” kata Ni Nyoman Rented, menantu almarhumah Ni Wayan Genjong, salah satu petani penggarap yang jenazahnya ikut dalam ngaben massal ini.

Ngaben massal bersama tiga anggota Puri Agung Ubud juga terasa lebih istimewa bagi keluarga peserta. Harapan melihat kepulangan jiwa sanak keluarga ke Hyang Widhi Wasa terasa kian besar karena ngaben massal digelar bersama keluarga kerajaan.

Sekitar pukul 12.30, Selasa kemarin, arak-arakan pun dimulai. Seluruh jenazah ditempatkan di sebuah bade (menara untuk jenazah dan yang tertinggi kali ini 28,5 meter dengan berat 11 ton) diarak ribuan warga Bali. Prosesi juga diikuti patung lembu penuh hiasan megah dan disucikan masyarakat Hindu serta patung Nagabanda. Patung naga hanya muncul pada kremasi keluarga puri yang dituakan.

Saat dikremasi, jenazah ditempatkan di atas menara sebagai simbol antara bumi dan langit. Sebuah bhoma (topeng bermuka seram) ditempatkan di belakang menara untuk menakuti roh jahat dan topeng garuda di depan menara. Dengan beban sangat berat, plus kondisi jalan sempit dan penuh sesak manusia, sungguh tidak mudah mengusung bade-bade serta patung-patung.

Begitu sampai di pemakaman, seluruh pengunjung bertepuk tangan, sedangkan para pengusung bersorak. Prosesi dilanjutkan ke area pemakaman (setra), diiringi gamelan bleganjur. Jenazah yang sudah dibalut kain kafan bersama aneka sesaji dimasukkan ke dalam perut patung lembu. Tepat pukul 18.30, api dinyalakan dan dalam sekejap melalap habis patung lembu, nagabanda, serta jenazah-jenazah.

Pada akhir acara, pedanda membunyikan genta untuk menolong jiwa mencapai surga. Abu jenazah akan dilarung ke laut, simbol pengembalian ke alam semesta.

Beberapa hari kemudian, tahap akhir upacara, yaitu nyekah; penyucian jiwa, yang akan ditempatkan sebagai leluhur di masing-masing merajan (tempat suci di kompleks pura keluarga).

Sumber: Kompas, Rabu, 16 Juli 2008

Visit Indonesia Year?

2008-07-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

What an unfortunate year for Indonesia's tourism industry. Less than one month after the government declared 2008 Visit Indonesia Year, flooding crippled Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the main gateway to the country, early last month.
Last week, the second annual Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008, by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum, downgraded Indonesia as a tourist destination to 80th among 130 countries surveyed. That was much worse than its position last year, which was 60th out of 124 countries.
The report showed that Indonesia scored very poorly in health and hygiene due to an inadequate supply of hospital beds, poor access to sanitation and drinking water and an acutely low number of qualified physicians.
The country also performed badly in that other pillar of the tourism industry -- infrastructure. In fact, Indonesian airplanes have been banned from European airspace since last year and no progress has been made on getting this blanket ban lifted.
Indonesia scored high only in terms of natural resources, with several World Heritage natural sites and the richness of it flora and fauna, and price competitiveness. But these strengths were undermined by such major weaknesses as underdeveloped infrastructure, including air and ground transportation.
There are even great concerns related to safety, particularly the prevalence of road accidents.
No wonder Indonesia, though richly endowed with a wide variety of cultures and interesting sites, has remained among the least popular tourist destinations even in the Southeast Asian region, outranked by Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Last year, Indonesia received just around 5.5 million tourists, compared to more than 9 million arrivals in Malaysia and almost 20 million in Singapore.
The survey showed the top-ranked countries in the travel and tourism industry -- Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Sweden, Canada and France -- understand the importance of support businesses and regulatory frameworks, coupled with world-class transportation and tourism infrastructure and a focus on nurturing human and natural resources.
Countries have vastly different underlying operational conditions, depending on where they fall in the tourism development spectrum. All have unique tourism products to offer, but the central goal is to encourage improvement in the underlying competitive conditions and infrastructure.
This is again where Indonesia is fundamentally weak, even in nature-based tourism, where the country should have a strong comparative advantage.
This latest travel and tourism report from the World Economic Forum should serve as a strong wake-up call for us, especially the government, to reinvigorate the tourism industry, especially now in the midst of a weakening global economy and uncertainty in the international financial market.
International tourism is known as a resilient industry, never suffering a deep and lasting recession and able to recover quickly because the need to travel, whether for business or leisure, is so deeply ingrained in our societies.
As a resource-based industry, tourism is also an ideal business for Indonesia to develop because of its multiplier effect and the labor-intensive nature of its operations. It directly benefits local communities economically. Travel businesses do their best when they use the local workforce, services, products and supplies.
The tourism industry also supports the integrity of a place. Destination-savvy travelers seek out businesses that emphasize the character of a locale. Tourism revenue in turn raises the perceived value of those assets.
Travel-related businesses such as hotels, restaurants, transportation, handicrafts and cultural shows are all labor intensive, the very kind of enterprises needed to absorb the huge pool of job seekers here.
But it is precisely because of its multi-sectoral activities that the promotion of the tourism industry should involve not only the tourism ministry but all other state and private organizations that provide the basic infrastructure and public services, including immigration, customs, transportation, accommodation and security.

Source: The Jakarta Post, Wed, 03/12/2008

Poor hygiene weakens RI's tourism: Study

2008-07-09T04:12:00.001-07:00

The government will need to work extra hard to lure foreign visitors with this year's ambitious Visit Indonesia Year campaign, in the light of health and hygiene issues mentioned in a recent report.
The report, issued March 4 by Switzerland-based World Economic Forum (WEF), cited Indonesia's poor health and hygiene conditions and inadequate infrastructure as key disadvantages in attracting foreign visitors.
WEF ranked Indonesia 80th among 130 countries in its Travel and Competitiveness Index 2008, lower than neighbors Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
Last year, Indonesia ranked 60th among 124 countries studied.
Indonesia's health facilities and hygiene received poor scores because of the country's low number of physicians (per capita), inadequate hospital beds, and poor access to improved sanitation and drinking water.
As Southeast Asia's largest economy, Indonesia also received low scores for quality of tourism infrastructure, comprising hotel rooms, presence of major car rental firms and automatic teller machines accepting Visa cards.
These problems were the main reasons for Indonesia's fall in ranking, WEF says.
Indonesia's edge in the competitiveness index related to competitive prices for goods and services, prioritization of travel and tourism spots, and the availability of qualified labor, the report said.
The index was arranged based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the WEF's own survey on qualitative institutional and business environment issues.
The index ranked Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Australia and Spain as the top five countries in the study (respectively).
As organizers of the high profile annual international business forum in Davos, Switzerland, the WEF is an independent international non-profit organization based in Geneva, Switzerland.
The forum was first established in January 1971, when a group of European business leaders met under the patronage of the European Commission and European industrial associations.
State Ministry of Culture and Tourism marketing director general Sapta Nirwandar told The Jakarta Post recently the government was in the process of improving tourism infrastructure, and making easier entry procedures for tourists.
"We are still in the process of fixing everything. We are now increasing promotions and cultural events overseas, simplifying visa procedures and improving the quality of service and human resource professionalism," he said.
Last year, some 5.51 million foreign tourists visited the world's largest archipelago, up from 4.87 million in 2006, according to data from to the Central Statistics Agency.
Singapore accounted for the largest number of visitors, with 1.46 million, followed by Malaysia (941,202), Japan (593,784), Australia (313,881), South Korea (423,098), China (335,172), Europe (528,171), and the United States (154,846), the agency reported.
"We have many interesting places and cultures, but many of them don't have good infrastructure or facilities to accommodate visitors' needs," said Thamrin Bhiwana Bachri, an executive at the State Ministry for Culture and Tourism.
"The facilities will include convenient hotels, clean public toilets, well-managed airports, and easy access to tourist attractions," he said.
For 2008, Indonesia has targeted to net seven million foreign visitors under the Visit Indonesia Year campaign funded by the State Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Sapta said, however, the figure was still far less than Singapore or Malaysia, which were targeting to this year lure some 10.2 million and 20.7 million foreign visitors respectively. (rff)

The 2008 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index
Rank Country Score (1-7 scale) 1 Switzerland 5.63 2 Austria 5.43 3 Germany 5.41 4 Australia 5.34 5 Spain 5.30 6 United Kingdom 5.28 7 United States 5.28 8 Sweden 5.27 9 Canada 5.26 10 France 5.23 16 Singapore 5.06 32 Malaysia 4.63 42 Thailand 4.37 80 Indonesia 3.70 81 Philippines 3.70 96 Vietnam 3.57 112 Cambodia 3.32
Indonesia's travel & tourism indicators (2007)
GDP (US$ millions) 10,167 Employment (1,000 jobs) 1,981
(Source: The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008; World Economic Forum)

Source: The Jakarta Post, Mon, 03/10/2008

Tourism offers unmissable business opportunities for Indonesia

2008-07-09T04:08:00.000-07:00

As with people of all nationalities, many Indonesians spend their whole lives in their provinces, never traveling far from home.
About 13 percent of the population travel beyond what is required by their daily routines. That figure typically drops by 2 or 3 percent when you eliminate those who travel unexpectantly owing to unforeseen business or family matters.
In a year, only 3 percent of Indonesians travel by plane, the same 3 percent who live the so-called "good life" -- that of plastic cards, new cars and luxury holidays -- while just over 1 percent of all Indonesians have traveled overseas in the last 12 months, either for business or pleasure.
The Javanese, residents of the world's most densely populated island, stay within the confines of Indonesia more than any other islander across the archipelago.
That's understandable, considering distances, availability and cost of convenient transportation and the reality that most people do not have friends or relatives outside of their immediate area.
Sixty-five percent of travelers use buses, making it the most popular form of transportation, even during holdidays. A further 20 percent hop on their family motorbike for vacation.
Another 7 percent travel during holidays by cars owned within the family or by friends, while a mere 2 percent take the boat or ferry.
These statistics are compiled by the country's largest syndicated survey operator, Roy Morgan Single Source, which surveys more than 27,000 Indonesian respondents annually.
The numbers, updated every 90 days, are estimated to reflect almost 90 percent of the population over the age of 14, representing a total of 140 million people.
All holiday-makers, regardless of the distances they travel, make a contribution to the local economy. Not many industries can claim to receive contributions from such a diverse range of customers.
Even before a traveler steps onto a bus or plane, a ticket has already been sold, a room has been booked. Taxi drivers, porters, doormen, chefs, waitresses and housekeeping staff all have jobs to do to support this one traveler.
As does the craftsman, the shopkeeper, the boatman, the barmaid -- the list goes on. If you trace the number of employees called into action by a single tourist couple, the number could well run into the hundreds.
Tourism is good for employment, but it is also good in so many other incalculable ways. The exchange of views, the mingling, the sharing of culture, the goodness that natural beauty can bring, the development of communal pride and purpose. No industry promotes human values, the philosophy to live and let live and the celebration of life more than tourism.
With tourism growing rapidly in Asia, Indonesia is lagging way behind its neighbors. While Vietnam receives more and more tourists every year, Indonesia, hampered by its Bali-centric philosophy, languishes.
The world knows little about Indonesia beyond Bali, and those visiting Bali fail to make a connection to the rest of Indonesia.
It could be argued that the number of underachieving locales in Indonesia rivals the combined total of all other ASEAN countries.
By their own initiative, regional and local budget airlines appear to be doing more to develop travel and tourism than any other business or organization, including the cash-strapped ministry of tourism.
However, airline passengers who aren't visiting friends and relatives need hotels, food, attractions, activities, shopping and night-life. The infrastructure is lacking.
Equally important is the need for a tourist-friendly local government that has its citizens' welfare at the top of its agenda.
Here is an open invitation to form a coalition of the willing and to do some good and make some money: would an official from the ministry, a provincial government, a bank or the Investment Coordinating Board please stand up?
An e-mail to this writer from any of the above would result in an enthusiastic response by a group of capable, experienced investors who wish to execute a textbook construction of a new resort that would make proud all concerned.
If challenged to put my energy where my mouth is by readers of this column, I would join this coalition and dedicate as much time as I could to bring an eco-friendly, socially responsible resort to fruition in Indonesia.
It can be done, and with a greater dividend than any new city shopping mall could ever offer.
The writer can be contacted at Debnath.Guharoy@roymorgan.com

Source: The Jakarta Post, Tuesday, 03/11/2008

Kampung Gede Kasepuhan Ciptagelar

2007-12-12T22:07:00.000-08:00

Kampung Gede Kasepuhan Ciptagelar adalah sebuah kampung adat yang mempunyai ciri khas dalam lokasi dan bentuk rumah serta tradisi yang masih dipegang kuat oleh masyarakat pendukungnya. Masyarakat yang tinggal di Kampung Ciptagelar disebut masyarakat kasepuhan. Istilah kasepuhan berasal dari kata sepuh dengan awalan /ka/ dan akhiran /an/. Dalam bahasa Sunda, kata sepuh berarti 'kolot' atau 'tua' dalam bahasa Indonesia. Berdasarkan pengertian ini, muncullah istilah kasepuhan, yaitu tempat tinggal para sesepuh. Sebutan kasepuhan ini pun menunjukkan model 'sistem kepemimpinan' dari suatu komunitas atau masyarakat yang berasaskan adat kebiasaan para orang tua (sepuh atau kolot). Kasepuhan berarti 'adat kebiasaan tua' atau 'adat kebiasaan nenek moyang'. Menurut Anis Djatisunda (1984), nama kasepuhan hanya merupakan istilah atau sebutan orang luar terhadap kelompok sosial ini yang pada masa lalu kelompok ini menamakan dirinya dengan istilah keturunan Pancer Pangawinan.

Pada era 1960-an, Kampung Gede Kasepuhan Ciptagelar mempunyai nama khusus yang dapat dianggap sebagai nama asli masyarakat tersebut, yaitu Perbu. Nama Perbu kemudian hilang dan berganti menjadi kasepuhan atau kasatuan. Selain itu, mereka pun disebut dengan istilah masyarakat tradisi.Kampung Gede Kasepuhan Ciptagelar (selanjutnya ditulis Kampung Ciptagelar) merupakan nama baru untuk Kampung Ciptarasa. Artinya sejak tahun 2001, sekitar bulan Juli, Kampung Ciptarasa yang berasal dari Desa Sirnarasa melakukan "hijrah wangsit" ke Desa Sirnaresmi yang berjarak belasan kilometer. Di desa inilah, tepatnya di Kampung Sukamulya, Abah Anom atau Bapa Encup Sucipta sebagai puncak pimpinan kampung adapt memberi nama Ciptagelar sebagai tempat pindahnya yang baru. Ciptagelar 'artinya terbuka atau pasrah.Kepindahan Kampung Ciptarasa ke kampung Ciptagelar lebih drsebabkan karena "perintah leluhur" yang disebut wangsit. Wangsit ini dlperoleh atau diterima oleh Abah Anom setelah melalui proses ritual beliau yanng hasilnya tidak boleh tidak, mesti dilakukan. Oleh karena itulah kepindahan kampung adat bagi warga Ciptagelar merupakan bentuk kesetiaan dan kepatuhan kepada leluhurnya.
Secara administratif, Kampung Ciptagelar berada di wilayah Kampung Sukamulya Desa Sirnaresmi, Kecamatan Cisolok, Kabupaten Sukabumi. Jarak Kampung Ciptagelar dari Desa Sirnaresmi 14 Km, dari kota kecamatan 27 Km, dan pusat pemerintahan Kabupaten Sukabumi 103 Km dan dari Bandung 203 Km ke arah Barat.Kampung Ciptagelar dapat ditempuh dengan kendaraan roda empat (mobil) dan roda dua (motor). Jenis kendaraan roda empat harus mempunyai persyaratan khusus, yakni mempunyai ketinggian badan cukup tinggi di atas tanah serta dalam kondisi prima. Apabila tidak mempunyai persyaratan yang dimaksud kecil kemungkinan kendaraan tersebut sampai ke lokasi. Dan umumnya mobil-mobil demikian hanya sampai di kantor Desa Sirnaresmi yang sekaligus merupakan tempat parkimya. - Selebihnya menggunakan kendaraan ojeg atau mobil umum (jenis jeep) yang hanya ada sewaktu-waktu atau jalan kaki.Guna mencapai lokasi tujuan, ada beberapa pilihan jalur jalan. Pilihan pertama adalah : Sukabumi - Pelabuhanratu. Pelabuhanratu - Cisolok berhenti di Desa Cileungsing. Dari Desa Cileungsing menuju Desa Simarasa dan berhenti di Kampung Pangguyangan. Di Karnpung Pangguyangan semua kendaraan roda empat di parkir dan selanjutnya dari kampung ini menuju Kampung Ciptagelar ditempuh dengan jalan kaki atau naik ojeg. Sebagai catatan, melalui jalur ini kendaraan pribadi hanya sampai di Kampung Pangguyangan mengingat kondisi jalan yang berat.

Sumber: Kampung Adat dan Rumah Adat di Jawa Barat

Disbudpar Jabar 2002

Kampung Naga

2007-12-12T21:45:00.001-08:00

Kampung Naga merupakan suatu perkampungan yang dihuni oleh sekelompok masyarakat yang sangat kuat dalam memegang adat istiadat peninggalan Ieluhumya. Hal ini akan terlihat jelas perbedaannya bila dibandingkan dengan masyarakat lain di luar Kampung Naga. Masyarakat Kampung Naga hidup pada suatu tatanan yang dikondisikan dalam suasana kesahajaan dan lingkungan kearifan tradisional yang lekat.
Kampung Naga secara administratif berada di wilayah Desa Neglasari, Kecamatan Salawu, Kabupaten Tasikmalaya, Propinsi Jawa Barat. Lokasi Kampung Naga tidak jauh dari jalan raya yang menghubungkan kota Garut dengan kota Tasikmalaya. Kampung ini berada di Iembah yang subur, dengan batas wilayah, di sebelah Barat Kampung Naga dibatasi oleh hutan keramat karena di dalam hutan tersebut terdapat makam leluhur masyarakat Kampung Naga. Di sebelah Selatan dibatasi oleh sawah-sawah penduduk, dan di sebelah Utara dan Timur dibatasi oleh sungai Ciwulan yang sumber airnya berasal dari Gunung Cikuray di daerah Garut. Jarak tempuh dari Kota Tasikmalaya ke Kampung Naga kurang lebih 30 kilometer, sedangkan dari Kota Garut jaraknya 26 kilometer. Untuk menuju Kampung Naga dari arah jalan raya Garut-Tasikmalaya harus menuruni tangga yang sudah ditembok (Sunda sengked) sampai ke tepi sungai Ciwulan dengan kemiringan sekitar 45 derajat dengan jarak kira-kira 500 meter. Kemudian melalui jalan setapak menyusuri sungai Ciwulan sampai ke dalam Kampung Naga. Menurut data dari Desa Neglasari, bentuk permukaan tanah di Kampung Naga berupa perbukitan dengan produktivitas tanah bisa dikatakan subur. Luas tanah Kampung Naga yang ada seluas satu hektar setengah, sebagian besar digunakan untuk perumahan, pekarangan, kolam, dan selebihnya digunakan untuk pertanian sawah yang dipanen satu tahun dua kali.

Sumber: Kampung Adat dan Rumah Adat di Jawa Barat

Disbudpar Jabar 2002

Railway Viaduct

2007-12-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

Railway Viaduct, Jalan Suniaraja and the Cikapundung River. This area of the city was planned by Thomas Karsten to be an open space in the middle of the city over the Cikapundung River. Its massive walls support the railroad line that leads to Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

Villa Isola

2007-12-11T17:50:00.000-08:00

Villa Isola, Jalan Setia Budhi 229.
Constructed in 1933 as a private home for an Italian named D.W Baretty, the building was designed by CP Wolff-Schoemaker. Beretty was the owner of an international news agency that later became
Indonesia’s Antara News Agency. Isola refers to the isolation of the residence when it was built on the dirt road going north to Lembang and Tangkuban Perahu. It was beautifully designed and gorgeously landscape and remains the foremost Art Deco monument I Indonesia. It is currently used as the Rector’s Office for the state teachers college, UPI.

Eksotisme "Dapur Keliling"

2007-12-11T17:21:00.000-08:00

ANDREAS MARYOTO

Setiap hari sekitar pukul 23.00, sebuah gerobak milik seorang pedagang menyusuri jalan-jalan di Kampung Ligu Tengah, Kota Semarang, Jawa Tengah. "Te… sate…," teriaknya dengan nada khas. Di samping teriakan tersebut, bunyi gemerincing potongan seng yang ditaruh di bawah dan tergesek dengan aspal jalan menjadi ciri khas kedatangan penjual sate asal Madura itu. Gerobak makanan adalah sesuatu yang biasa, tetapi ternyata menyimpan eksotisme. Gerobak makanan memiliki kisah panjang dan unik hingga banyak orang asing terpesona. Joyce Haryono, seorang pengajar bahasa Inggris di salah satu lembaga kursus di Tangerang, Banten, yang berketurunan Belanda, menceritakan kekagetan orang-orang asing yang tinggal di Indonesia ketika mendengar teriakan-teriakan aneh pada pagi dan malam hari. Ketika mereka mendengar teriakan yang aneh itu, mereka penasaran. Kemudian orang asing biasanya keluar rumah. Setelah melihat orang yang berteriak-teriak, mereka paham. Mereka lalu menyebutnya sebagai "kitchen going around" alias "dapur keliling". Dalam teks-teks mengenai pengenalan kebudayaan Indonesia, "dapur keliling" ini menjadi salah satu hal yang diperkenalkan karena di mata mereka termasuk hal yang unik. Lama kelamaan orang asing yang tinggal diIndonesia akhirnya terbiasa dengan teriakan tersebut hingga mereka malah menjadi pembeli berbagai makanan meski kadang bila menggunakan ukuran higienitas mereka, makanan ini tergolong tidak bersih. Eksotisme "dapur keliling" yang bisa menyediakan makanan mulai dari bubur, gulai, soto, rujak, dan tentu yang khas adalah sate itu mengalahkan rasa "jijik" mereka.

Kisah panjang

Bila sekarang banyak muncul gerobak makanan dengan roda dua, sebenarnya "dapur keliling" ini memiliki kisah panjang. Sebelum muncul gerobak, orang di Jawa lebih mengenal pikulan. Pikulan ini sebenarnya bisa digunakan untuk macam-macam barang, mulai dari produk perkebunan, barang kelontong, hingga makanan itu sendiri. Pikulan itu berasal dari kata pikul yang berasal dari salah satu bahasa di China. Awalnya pikul digunakan sebagai satuan berat. Satu pikul beratnya sekitar 60 kilogram. Di Indonesia disebutkan satu pikul setara 62,5 kg, sedangkan di negara lain ada yang menyebut setara dengan 60 kg atau ada pula sekitar 60,48 kg. Ukuran pikul ini masih digunakan di beberapa tempat seperti Malaysia, Thailand, dan Vietnam. Ukuran berat itu dipastikan masuk ketika warga

China bagian selatan bermigrasi ke Nusantara. Aktivitas perdagangan mereka menjadikan mereka membutuhkan sarana untuk mendistribusikan barang mereka. Sarana yang memungkinkan adalah pikulan itu. Dari penggunaan pikulan untuk mengukur berat, sarana itu berkembang menjadi alat untuk membawa berbagai jenis barang.
Foto-foto tahun 1830-an yang terdapat di dalam buku Tionghoa dalam Pusaran Politik memperlihatkan berbagai jenis pikulan. Pedagang etnis

China menggunakan alat tersebut untuk menjual berbagai jenis barang termasuk makanan. Salah satu foto memperlihatkan sejumlah orang berkumpul yang di antara mereka terdapat pedagang makanan dengan pikulan. Gambar ini sekaligus memperlihatkan jalur distribusi sudah dikuasai oleh etnis Tionghoa. Ukuran pikul digunakan oleh Belanda ketika berkuasa di Nusantara. Beberapa komoditas yang diekspor, terutama produk perkebunan seperti tembakau, menggunakan satuan pikul. Dalam perkembangannya, pikulan bukan hanya digunakan oleh pedagang etnis Tionghoa, tetapi juga pedagang setempat. Pikulan untuk makanan biasanya berupa dua kotak berukuran besar atau kecil yang terbuat dari kayu dihubungkan dengan bambu yang melengkung. Bagian ujung atas kotak biasanya dihubungkan ke ujung pengangkat dengan bambu, rotan, atau tali. Satu kotak biasanya berisi anglo atau kompor yang digunakan untuk memanaskan makanan. Satu kotak lainnya berisi seperti bahanbaku makanan, piring, dan juga alat-alat memasak lainnya. Pada mulanya pikulan menggunakan bahan dari kayu, tetapi belakangan menggunakan bahan dari aluminium dan seng.
Gerbang desa

Penjual makanan akan mengangkat pikulan ini di bagian tengah sehingga seimbang ketika berjalan. Mereka biasanya berhenti di pertigaan atau perempatan jalan kampung. Pemilihan pertigaan dan perempatan boleh jadi karena tempat tersebut merupakan tempat yang ramai karena menjadi persilangan pertemuan warga dari berbagai arah. Pikulan makanan itu juga berhenti di tempat yang diperkirakan banyak penduduk berkumpul, seperti gardu. Gardu menjadi tempat pertemuan warga baik untuk meronda maupun kadang untuk sekadar mengobrol. Di samping itu, penjual makanan dengan pikulan juga berhenti di gerbang desa, seperti yang terlihat dalam foto di buku Java: Eerste Deel atau foto tahun 1920-an koleksi KITLV yang termuat di buku Penjaga Memori; Gardu di Perkotaan Jawa. Warga biasa keluar masuk desa melalui gerbang desa sehingga tanpa perlu berjalan jauh pedagang makanan bisa menjangkau para calon pembelinya. Di samping dengan teriakan yang khas, pedagang makanan juga memukul bambu kecil atau kentungan kecil dengan ketukan yang khas sehingga para calon pembeli tanpa perlu melihat makanan yang dijual mereka sudah bisa mengetahui jenis makanannya. Eksotisme "dapur keliling" dengan menggunakan pikulan sudah makin jarang ditemukan. Miniatur pikulan itu sendiri sudah menjadi salah satu koleksi Museum Nasional, Jakarta. Sangat mungkin pikulan ini sebentar lagi menjadi barang antik karena tidak ada lagi pedagang makanan yang menggunakan pikulan. Kondisi udara yang makin panas dan lalu lintas yang padat di berbagai tempat sangat mungkin menjadikan pedagang keliling ini mudah lelah dan tidak mau lagi berjualan dengan pikulan. Pikulan memang terlihat kurang praktis dan melelahkan pedagang yang membawanya. Sejumlah hotel dan rumah makan masih menampilkan pikulan di salah satu sudutnya sebagai alat untuk menarik pengunjung. Pikulan menjadi daya tarik agar mengesankan makanan yang dibuat benar-benar tradisional baik bumbu maupun cara penyajiannya. Cara ini sangat tepat di tengah maraknya kuliner yang cenderung menyukai kembali makanan-makanan tradisional. Hanya pedagang tua yang masih menjalankan pekerjaan ini di sejumlah

kota kecil, seperti terlihat di Museum Kereta Api di Ambarawa, Kabupaten Semarang. Pedagang ini sudah lama berjualan sate dan tongseng di halaman museum. Dari mulai membuat bumbu hingga membakar sate dilakukan di pikulan itu. Satu tempat duduk kecil menjadi sarana penjual ini agar tidak lelah dalam meracik sate dan tongseng. Penggunaan gerobak dengan dua roda memang menggantikan pikulan karena lebih praktis dan meringankan. Pergantian dari pikulan ke gerobak roda dua diperkirakan tahun 1980 ketika sejumlahkota makin panas dan jalan-jalan makin sempit. Akan tetapi, gerobak ini pun tidak bisa lagi sembarangan berjalan. Sejumlah pengelola perumahan melarang masuk para pedagang keliling ini. Belum lagi, sejumlah restoran dan warung makan bisa menerima panggilan sehingga tanpa perlu keluar rumah, para penghuni rumah bisa mendapat makanan hanya dengan memencet nomor telepon. Dalam hitungan menit, makanan sudah tersedia di depan pintu. Suatu saat "dapur keliling" bisa musnah.

Sumber: Kompas, Kamis, 06 Desember 2007

Potensi Sebuah Ruang Terbuka Kota

2007-12-11T16:59:00.000-08:00

Jaarbeurs, Jalan Aceh 50. This complex, designed as a civic exposition center in 1917 by the Schoemaker brothers,s now a military compound. Originally it was the site of the annual trade fair (Jaarbeurs), which presented the products of the Priangan region to investors from all over the Netherlands Indies, and often to perspective buyers from Europe. This was staged every June and July, and
Bandung took on a decidedly festive air, with street entertainments and parades on Jalan Braga.C.P Wolff-Schoemaker is credited as the designer of the Atlas figures which adorn the façade of the main building. Covered up in the 1070s and 1980s, these nude figures have been uncovered and restored and are now a part of the civic art of the city.

The First Waterfall a spectacular 80-m drop

2007-12-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

Halfway down the canyon to the first waterfall, you are treated to a truly spectacular view: the water thunders over the high cliff and bounces once in the upper third before dropping straight into the base pool 80 m below. The pool is rather shallow, and swimming is not really possible, but it is sufficient to splash around in. Once you are there, note the typical hexagonal structures of hardened lava on the eastern cliff. On Sundays quite a number of people are here, mainly friendly youngsters.

The Second Waterfall Good swimming

The base pool of this fall is wonderful for swimming, and you’ll be glad if you have brought a picnic basket, despite the slightly difficult terrain.

The Third Waterfall An overgrown waterfall by the edge of the forest

The third fall is higher up, a walk of perhaps forty-five minutes from the road. The path leads above and past the second fall. Visitors are rare and the surroundings delightful.

The fall is overgrown with vegetation, and behind it the mountain forest extends over the slopes. This is a wonderful picnic spot away from it all. You might also want to go a bit farther up river from the fall and dangle your feet in the cool water. More waterfalls are deep in the forest, but to get there you would need a bush knife, sturdy shoes, and a lot of time.

For your return, take the trail on the other side of the valley and stroll comfortably downhill until the two valley trails connect just above the second fall. From here, follow the trail back to the road.

Compiled from “All Around Bandung”, Gottfried Roelcke, Gary Crab. Bandung Society for Heritage Conservation.

Curug Cimahi

2007-12-04T18:19:00.001-08:00

Anak TK Antusias Ikuti ”Kaulinan Lembur”

2007-12-04T17:49:00.000-08:00

DUA siswa TK Al Halus Kabupaten Bandung memeragakan sebuah permainan "galah porog" berupa menjaga lawan agar tidak menerobos garis yang dijaga, pada "Festival Kaulinan Urang Lembur" yang diselenggarakan TK Graha Ananda dan didukung Pemprov Jabar dan HU ”Pikiran Rakyat”, di Bale Anak Jalan Sumatera Bandung, Sabtu (27/8).* Dudi Sugandi/”PR”

Sekira 200 anak dari lima taman kanak-kanak (TK) terlihat antusias dan bergembira saat melakukan kaulinan urang lembur yang berlangsung di pelataran FO Bale Anak, Jalan Sumatera Kota Bandung, Sabtu (27/8).

Sementara, orang tua yang mengantarkan anak-anaknya turut larut atau mungkin terkenang ke masa lalu saat menyaksikan permainan yang saat ini sudah tak dikenal lagi, seperti oray-orayan, turih oncom, gatrik, gobak, galah, ambil-ambilan, slepdur, sondah, dan berbagai permainan lainnya.

Anak-anak dari TK Graha Ananda (Cimahi), TK Bianglala (Gegerkalong), TK Al-Harus (Bale Endah), TK Permata Sakinah (Cicaheum), dan TK Ryadus Sholihin memperlihatkan animo tinggi terhadap "Festival Kaulinan Urang Lembur" (permainan tradisional anak Jawa Barat).

Dra. Aty Kurniawati, Kepala TK Graha Ananda sebagai penyelenggara festival mengatakan bahwa festival ini dilaksanakan untuk merayakan hari kemerdekaan RI dan ulang tahun ke-4 TK Graha Ananda. Selain itu, kata Aty, sekaligus mengguar nilai tradisi kaulinan anak-anak di Jawa Barat yang kini sudah mulai dilupakan dan tidak lagi dikenal.

"Sebenarnya, permainan-permainan anak-anak dahulu mungkin masih ada di kampung-kampung tentunya. Permainan ini memiliki nilai edukasi yang baik dan nilai sosial yang tinggi. Mereka selalu bersama-sama melakukan permainan, artinya ada nilai gotong-royong yang terkandung dalam permainan tersebut. Namun, anak-anak masa kini lebih suka bermain games (play station)," ujarnya.

Menurut Ketua Pelaksana Drs. Patria Hidayat, festival ini merupakan salah satu cara untuk mengembalikan nilai edukasi, sosial, tradisi, dan gotong-royong pada anak-anak. Tujuannya, supaya pada diri anak-anak akan melekat tradisi budayanya. Selain itu, mereka akan tahu ada permainan asli yang dimiliki bangsa ini, sehingga mereka akan merekam itu semua dalam kepribadiannya.

"Tetapi, langkah ini masih kurang mendapat respons dari TK-TK yang ada (di Kota Bandung dan Kab. Bandung-red.), sehingga hanya beberapa TK saja yang ikut meramaikan festival ini. Namun, kami tidak akan putus asa festival ini akan terus digalakkan agar kaulinan urang lembur tetap menjadi bagian dari kehidupan anak-anak," harapnya.

Sumber: Pikiran Rakyat, Minggu, 28 Agustus 2005

Cisarua Area

2007-12-04T04:46:00.000-08:00

Cisarua area, roughly 15 km north of Bandung, is very scenic, easily accessible, and less crowded than Lembang-Maribaya area. The main attractions here are the three waterfalls along the Cimahi River and the small idyllic Lake Lembang (Situ Lembang). The village of Cisarua constitutes the focal point oh the area.

The Cimahi Falls
The Cihami River runs from the western flank of Mt. Tangkuban Perahu to the south through the town of Cimahi and then into the Saguling Reservoir. Its lower waterfall (the first from the road) is a spectacular drop over 80-m cliff. The lower fall makes for a pleasant, short family outing, though the way is somewhat steep and may be tiring for small children. The second waterfall is 20-m high and has a good pool for swimming; however, it’s a little more difficult to reach because you have to cross the stream twice and the path is muddy. Above this fall is the third, also 20-m high, in a lovely remote location about a forty-five minute walk from the road. A visit to these three falls takes three hours or more from Bandung. They are equally accessible by private vehicle or public transportation.

Compiled from “All Around Bandung”, Gottfried Roelcke, Gary Crab. Bandung Society for Heritage Conservation

Galah Asin

2007-12-04T04:40:00.000-08:00

Permainan galah asin yang dalam bahasa Jawa disebut bak sodor dimainkan baik oleh anak laki-laki maupun perempuan. Permainan dilakukan dalam daerah persegi panjang berpetak enam. Lebar dua petak dan panjang tiga petak. Permainan dilakukan oleh dua team yang masing-masing team berjumlah tiga orang. Satu team sebagai penjaga yang bertugas menjaga petak agar tidak bisa terterobos dan team yang lain sebagai penerobos. Ketika team penerobos berhasil menerobos memasuki petak tanpa tersentuh oleh team penjaga, maka penerobos tidak diperbolehkan kembali ke petak sebelumnya. Apabila team penerobos berhasil menerobos enam petak dan kembali lagi menerobos enam petak kearah yang berlawanan tanpa tersentuh oleh team penjaga maka team tersebut dinyatakan sebagai pemenangnya. Apabila team penerobos tersentuh team penjaga ketika mencoba menerobos memasuki sebuah petak maka akan dilakukan pertukaran posisi. Team yang tadinya sebagai penjaga bertukar posisi sebagai menjadi team penjaga, begitu pula team yang tadinya sebagai team penerobos akan bertukar posisi sebagai team penjaga. Penjaga pada garis petak pertama boleh bergerak mengawal petaknya baik pada sisi horizontal maupun vertical pembatas antar petak sehingga bisa mengurung penorobos agar bisa tersentuh atau tertangkap, sedang penjaga pada garis petak kedua dan ketiga hanya diperbolehkan bergerak sepanjang garis horizontal petak yang dijaganya.

Walking on the Top Southern Slopes

2007-12-04T04:12:00.000-08:00

There are two popular hiking trails on the southern slopes of Mt. Tangkuban Perahu. One of them leads up from the Sukawana Tea Estate toe the south western crater rim (see The Cisarua Area); the other one is from the center of Lembang to the large car park called Jayagiri, which is about halfway up the slope from the main road. This second climb takes about two hours at a relaxed pace.

First steep, later somewhat flatter, the path leads through beautiful pine forest. After some forty-five minutes of walking, you come to where a stony track crosses the path. Following that track to the left for another quarter hour and then taking the wide trail down into the valley, you reach a big gully with waterfalls gushing into it. The highest of these falls may be 10m, but unfortunately you can’t really get to it, let alone swim there. Thick mountain forest envelops the waterfalls, monkeys swing in the tress, and it’s all very remote and quiet. The trail skirts around the gully before descending back to Lembang. On the other side of gully, on top of the little ridge, were once artillery emplacements from which the Japanese army covered the whole Bandung Basin.

Compiled from “All Around Bandung”, Gottfried Roelcke, Gary Crab. Bandung Society for Heritage Conservation

The Domas Crater Boling Springs

2007-11-29T00:01:00.001-08:00

A favorite spot of volcanic activity to visit is the Domas Crater, located about a kilometer down the northeastern slope. A wide, well-marked stairway leads down from the car park at Kawah Ratu. The walk takes about thirty minutes.

For the elderly or very young this stairway might be somewhat tiring, but there is an alternative route. You can go by car down to the large car park, halfway between the top car park and the entrance gate. It’s impossible to miss. From there, you walk far less steeply on a clearly-marked trail about twenty minutes through lovely mountain forest and past a clear creek with a resting place beside it. The use of mosquito repellent is not a bad idea here.

The smell o sulphur tells you that you are approaching an active crater. Bubbling mud, boiling hot water, and hissing sulphur vapor are the hallmarks of the Domas Crater. Eggs are sold here so that you can put them into the boiling water until they are cooked. A stall selling snacks and drinks is also here. This is the most easily accessible of all the really active craters in the vicinity of Bandung, and walking around in it is an experience no visitor should miss.

From the Domas Crater you can walk either to the top car park on the crater rim of Kawah Ratu or more or less level to the road. The latter path forks again to the right leads slightly uphill to the large car park at Jayagiri, while to the left leads to a small lay-by farther down the road.

Ciptagelar, Perkampungan Cantik di Kaki G. Halimun

2007-11-28T23:14:00.001-08:00

Semula Bernama Kampung Sukamulya

GAPURA pertama yang menuju Kampung Ciptarasa yang kini telah ditinggalkan Abah Anom.* Nanang S/”Galura”

BAGI Encup Sucipta, demikian nama lengkap Abah Anom, ketua adat Kasepuhan, Ciptagelar Ciptarasa memiliki arti tersendiri. Di Ciptarasa lah dia diangkat jadi sesepuh girang (ketua adat) menggantikan ayahnya, Abah Arjo. Abah Anom jadi sesepuh girang dalam usia yang masih sangat muda, 17 tahun. Oleh karena itulah, dia dipanggil Abah Anom (bahasa Indonesia: muda)
Meski Kampung Ciptarasa mengandung arti tersendiri, Abah Anom tak kuasa menolak wangsit (perintah leluhur) yang memerintahkan dirinya pindah ke Ciptagelar. Oleh karena itu, Juli 2001, Abah Anom bersama belasan baris kolot (pembantu sesepuh girang) menjalankan wangsit tersebut. Beberapa rumah baris kolot beserta seluruh isinya ikut dibawa pindah.
Lokasi baru tempat tinggal Abah Anom beserta baris kolot-nya bukan daerah yang baru dibuka. Apalagi, tadinya hutan belantara. Abah Anom pindah ke tempat yang telah ada penduduknya dan kampungnya bernama Sukamulya. Oleh Abah Anom kemudian diganti menjadi Ciptagelar. "Ciptagelar masih termasuk Desa Sirnarasa," kata Abah Anom.
Ciptagelar yang dari Ciptarasa jaraknya sekira 14 kilometer berada di ketinggian 1,050 meter di atas permukaan laut (dpl). Berudara dingin dan sering kali diselimuti kabut. Ciptagelar merupakan daerah cekungan, dikelilingi Gunung Surandil, Gunung Karancang, dan Gunung Kendeng. Di Ciptagelar terdapat sekira 80 kepala keluarga (KK) termasuk Abah Anom dan baris kolot.
Untuk menuju ke Ciptagelar, ada tiga jalur pilihan; dari jalan utama Sukabumi-Cisolok belok di Sukawayana dilanjutkan sampai Pangguyangan. Dari Pangguyangan kendaraan yang bisa melintas jalan ini hanya kendaraan besar atau jip bergarda dua dan hanya sampai Ciptarasa. Untuk ke Ciptagelar bisa naik ojek atau jalan kaki, menempuh jarak 14 kilometer melewati hutan lebat.
Pilihan kedua, tidak melalui Ciptarasa, tetapi melalui Desa Sirnaresmi yang masuknya sama dari Sukawayana. Lewat jalan ini kendaraan bisa sampai ke Ciptagelar, tetapi kendaraannya minimal jip. "Saya sendiri hanya berani membawa jip," kata Abah Anom yang memiliki dua mobil, jip Feroza dan Escudo. Mobil Escudonya disimpan di Ciptarasa.
Jalur yang sudah dilalui kendaraan umum adalah melalui Desa Maja. Dari Pelabuhanratu naik angkutan umum yang menuju Cisolok, berhenti di Desa Maja. Perjalanan dilanjutkan dengan naik angkutan umum jurusan Cikotok dan berhenti di Kantor Kepala Desa Sirnaresmi. Seterusnya bisa jalan kaki bisa juga naik ojek. "Kalau naik ojek siap-siap sport jantung," kata Gangga, warga Jakarta yang pernah ke Ciptagelar.
Baik memakai kendaraan, jalan kaki, atau naik ojek sama-sama melelahkan. Jalan yang dilalui, selain dipenuhi oleh tanjakan curam, juga jalannya masih berbatuan yang semuanya membuat jantung deg-degan. "Bagi pencinta alam memang enak jalan kaki, paling tidak dari Ciptarasa atau dari Kantor Desa Sirnaresmi," kata Gangga lagi.
Kelelahan yang dirasakan ketika menempuh perjalanan, sampai di Ciptagelar mendadak sirna. Udara yang sejuk serta pemandangan alam yang hijau dan pesawahan yang berundak-undak membuat badan segar kembali. Apalagi, ketika sudah masuk ke imah gede (rumah sesepuh girang) dan mendapat kehangatan sambutan tuan rumah.
"Abah dan keluarganya sangat ramah," kata Ir. Syarif H. Marsono, konsultan dari Jakarta yang beberapa kali berkunjung ke Ciptagelar. Di imah gede yang tungku-nya tak pernah padam selalu tersedia nasi, lauk-pauk, bahkan kopi dan susu. "Kita bebas makan apa saja karena khusus disediakan untuk tamu dan untuk warga yang memerlukan makanan," kata Ir. Syarif.
Imah gede sendiri cukup besar, melebihi imah gede yang ada di Ciptarasa, mampu menampung puluhan orang. Tamu yang berkunjung ke sana tidak perluh khawatir tidak bisa mendapatkan tempat untuk tidur. Penerangan di Ciptagelar sudah mempergunakan listrik, bersumber dari pembangkit listrik tenaga air mikro (kecil) yang dibuat oleh Abah Anom, seperti halnya di Ciptarasa.
Imah gede di Ciptagelar dan rumah-rumah penduduk yang lainya, termasuk rumah baris kolot, tidak berbeda dengan yang ada di Ciptarasa; panggung, dan beratap injuk.
"Ketentuan itu tetap berlaku karena ketentuan adat, bukan ketentuan yang ada di suatu tempat," kata Abah Anom yang memiliki telepon satelit dan radio komunikasi.
Abah Anom tidak bisa memerkirakan kapan wangsit yang memerintahkan dirinya pindah turun lagi. "Kami teu nyaho (saya tidak tahu)," katanya. Kalau pun harus pindah lagi, menurut Abah Anom, tidak mungkin balik ke tempat yang pernah didiami oleh dirinya dan leluhurnya. "Itu tak mungkin terjadi, kami pindah ke tempat baru," katanya.
Menurut Abah Anom, Kasepuhan yang dipimpinnya suatu saat tidak akan berpindah-pindah lagi, yakni jika telah ditemukan tempat yang benar-benar baik menurut adat.
"Tetapi, saya tidak tahu kapan saya punya tempat tinggal tetap, saya pun tidak di mana tempat tinggal tetap saya, itu semua bergantung pada wangsit," katanya.

Sumber: Pikiran Rakyat, Sabtu, 27 Desember 2003

Ciptagelar, Perkampungan Cantik di Kaki G. Halimun

2007-11-28T23:14:00.000-08:00

Semula Bernama Kampung Sukamulya

GAPURA pertama yang menuju Kampung Ciptarasa yang kini telah ditinggalkan Abah Anom.* Nanang S/”Galura”

Kembali ke Menu ”Kampung”

2007-11-28T20:43:00.000-08:00

PEDAGANG empal gentong melayani pembelinya di sebuah festival makanan tradisional di IBCC Bandung, pekan lalu. Saat ini, kecenderungan pilihan masyarakat kembali ke makanan kampung, menimbulkan fenomena yang cukup menggembirakan.* DUDI SUGANDI/”PR”

MEREKA yang belum pernah lagi menginjakkan kaki ke Bandung selama lima atau enam tahun belakangan ini, mungkin akan merasakan atmosfer yang berbeda jika datang ke kota ini sekarang.

Beberapa tahun lalu, berjalan-jalan di sini terasa tengah berada di Eropa. Bukan karena tiba-tiba turun salju, tapi karena begitu mudah mendapatkan makanan khas negara Eropa di kota yang sebenarnya kaya dengan makanan lokal ini.

Tak hanya restoran besar, warung pinggir jalan pun menyediakan menu steak sebagai sajian utama. Makan makanan orang bule, pada masa itu menjanjikan naiknya harga diri alias gengsi.

"Waktu itu malu rasanya mengakui belum mengetahui apa bedanya sirloin dan tenderloin steak," kata Wijaya (35), mengenang motivasi utamanya saat mencoba mengonsumsi makanan Eropa ini.

Di kalangan anak sekolah kota besar, merayakan ulang tahun teman berarti menyantap steak, piza, atau spageti.

"Teman-teman yang punya uang banyak biasanya merayakannya di restoran-restoran besar. Yang anggaran ulang tahunnya terbatas dari ortu, boleh mentraktir di warung-warung steak pinggir jalan," kata Taya (20), mahasiswi Universitas Padjadjaran Bandung. Masa tergila-gila makanan Eropa ini dialami Taya saat ia duduk di bangku SMP dan berlanjut hingga SMU, 6 tahun ke belakang.

Kini cobalah bertanya pada anak sekolah menengah. Selain menu makanan Eropa, pilihan mereka lebih beragam. Masih memakai seragam sekolah, di sebuah restoran yang menyajikan makanan tradisional khas Sunda mereka berlomba menyendok nasi dari bakul, setelah sebelumnya beramai-ramai menyanyikan lagu ulang tahun.

"Beberapa teman yang berulang tahun sekarang memang sering mengajak makan di restoran tradisional. Rasanya unik aja gitu, bosen juga sih makan steak," kata Wita (16), siswi sebuah SMA favorit di Kota Bandung.

Di kalangan dewasa, pamor makanan tradisional sudah lebih dulu mencuat. Pada rapat-rapat di perkantoran, organisasi, seminar, dan sebagainya, orang pernah begitu fanatik dengan kue-kue kecil rasa Eropa, seperti kue keju dan tar. Kini makanan itu sedikit demi sedikit mulai tereliminasi, tergantikan oleh jajan pasar yang dikemas lebih menarik, rapi, dan enak tentu saja.

Seperti perdebatan lebih dulu mana antara telur dan ayam, begitu juga yang terjadi di dunia kuliner.

Entah karena semakin banyak pelanggan yang ingin back to basic, maka warung, restoran bahkan hotel berbintang pun menyediakan menu "kampung". Atau karena semakin banyak tempat yang menyediakan menu tradisional sehingga selera masyarakat tergiring? Tak jadi soal, lingkaran ini membuat orang sadar ternyata makanan khas Indonesia pun enak, bahkan lebih oke di lidah kita.

KECENDERUNGAN pilihan masyarakat kembali ke makanan kampung, menimbulkan fenomena yang mencengangkan. Baik individu maupun pengusaha makanan berlomba menjadi yang paling "kampungan". Nama-nama tempat yang menjanjikan suasana kampung pun bertebaran di mana-mana.

Bahkan sebuah restoran yang menyajikan makanan khas Sunda, melalui iklannya yang dipasang di pinggir jalan tol menuju gerbang tol Pasteur, menjanjikan pelanggannya akan merasakan suasana dan makanan "kampung" di tempatnya.

Dengan moto, "ternyata masih kampungan", reklame ini menggiring masyarakat yang ingin merasakan nikmatnya makanan "kampung" mengunjungi tempat yang ditata bersuasana kampung juga. Dengan musik pengiring lagu Sunda, di restoran tersebut orang duduk dalam bangku-bangku yang terbuat dari bambu khas desa.

Restoran ini termasuk pendatang baru di Kota Bandung. Jauh sebelumnya sudah bermunculan restoran "kampung" lainnya. Untuk mendapatkan suasana desa, bahkan pengusaha berani melakukan investasi besar membangun sebuah restoran yang mencerminkan suasana desa.

Fenomena ini juga terjadi di luar Kota Bandung. Salah satu pencitraan kampung melalui papan nama. Mendengar nama Restoran "Mulih Ka Desa" yang berada di Garut, image langsung terpeta dengan suasana dan makanan khas kampung.

Selain Mulih Ka Desa, ada lagi restoran bernuansa kampung di daerah Garut yang berhasil mencuri perhatian masyarakat. Selain makanan juga karena atmosfer desa yang sangat kental. Sebut saja Restoran Sari Papandayan yang berada di daerah Cisurupan, tepat di depan Gunung Cikurai Garut.

Menurut sang pimpinan resto sekaligus bungalo, Sulaeman Abdurachim (47), sejak dibuka tahun 2005 lalu, tingkat kunjungan ke tempat ini mengalami kenaikan yang sangat berarti. "Hingga delapan puluh persen," kata Sulaeman.

Sulaeman memanfaatkan benar suasana pedesaan. Ia menyinkronkan menu masakan tradisional dengan tempat makanan berupa lesehan.

Soal atmosfer desa inilah yang membuat Sofyan (45) dan keluarganya senang berpetualang mencari pengganjal perut di tempat yang "bernada" kampungan ini.

"Di tempat seperti ini, saya tidak usah sibuk memikirkan sopan santun. Tak usah sibuk memilih giliran sendok mana yang harus digunakan," kata Sofyan sambil tertawa.

Yang dimaksud Sofyan, jika menyantap makanan Eropa tentu saja ia harus memikirkan etiket makanan. Table manner mengharuskan orang menggunakan sendok yang tepat untuk menyantap sup, makanan utama atau makanan penutup.

Senada dengan Sofyan, ada Cyndy (42, sebut saja begitu), yang sangat menyukai makan di tepat yang ada lesehan ala kampung. "Saya selalu mencari tempat makan yang ada lesehannya. Di sini saya bisa selonjoran, bersila atau menumpangkan tangan di kaki, makan seperti abang becak. Ha..ha..ha," kata penduduk Jakarta yang sedang berakhir pekan di Bandung, Sabtu lalu.

Tren kembalinya selera masyarakat ke makanan lokal diakui pula oleh Avianti Sukarmadijaya (27) pemilik Def Resto, sebuah restoran yang menyajikan makanan khas Sunda, di Jalan Cihampelas Bandung.

"Tampaknya orang sudah mulai bosan dengan makanan luar negeri. Ini membuat mereka kembali ke masakan tradisional," ujar Avi yang sudah menyajikan makanan lokal seperti nasi liwet, nasi tutug oncom hingga nasi liwet sejak tahun 2003.

Sebelum tahun itu, masih sulit orang mendapatkan nasi tutug oncom atau nasi liwet di rumah makan. Kini rumah makan dengan penawaran jenis masakan itu bertaburan bak cendawan di musim hujan.

Bukan saja makanan khas Sunda. Di daerah Parahyangan ini pun makanan asal seberang pulau berani tampil. Makin banyak restoran yang mengkhususkan diri menyajikan makanan khas seberang, dari mulai mi Aceh hingga makanan melayu lainnya.

Bahwa makanan resep nenek ternyata bisa dijual tak lepas dari heboh-heboh antrean makanan tradisional di beberapa tempat. Sebut saja nama "Surabi Imut" di kawasan Jln. Setiabudhi. Walau harus antre dan menunggu, mereka tak keberatan menunggu giliran penjual selesai membakar serabi pesanan mereka.

Orang-orang kreatif di belakang makanan tradisional inilah yang memelopori bangkitnya makanan lokal. Betapa tidak kreatif, serabi yang aslinya hanya dua rasa, oncom dan kinca gula, bisa dimodifikasi mulai dari rasa sosis hingga keju.

Kemasan yang dibuat orang-orang modern inilah salah satu faktor yang menyadarkan orang bahwa jika dikemas dengan baik makanan tradisional bisa punya nilai lebih. (Uci Anwar).

Sumber: Pikiran Rakyat, Jumat, 25 Mei 2007.

Kuliner "Jadul", Sisi Lain Daya Tarik Bandung

2007-11-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

Dwi Bayu Radius

"Bandung itu surganya makanan enak dan harganya murah," kata Ketua Perhimpunan Hotel dan Restoran Indonesia Daerah Jawa Barat Ries Hermawan. Tidak hanya wisatawan lokal yang menyukai makanan khas Bandung, turis asing pun menggemarinya. Mereka menyukai masakan Sunda.

Ries mengatakan, makanan di Bandung yang sering dicari wisatawan lokal adalah surabi, batagor, dan goreng oncom. Makanan tersebut bukan hanya terkenal di Bandung atau kota-kota sekitarnya saja, tetapi juga di Indonesia.

Ungkapan semacam itu kerap diutarakan untuk menjelaskan daya tarik kuliner Bandung yang sudah terkenal. Berbagai penganan khas Bandung, seperti Soes Merdeka, Brownies Primarasa, Pisang Keju Kartika Sari, dan Brownies Kukus Amanda adalah oleh-oleh yang rutin dibeli wisatawan.

Meski demikian, Bandung sebenarnya memiliki sisi lain dari daya tarik kulinernya. Jika menginginkan cita rasa lain, wisatawan dapat mencoba sajian dengan nuansa klasik. Rumah makan zaman dulu atau "jadul" bisa dipertimbangkan pelancong yang ingin berlibur di Bandung. Tempat makan semacam itu sudah ada sejak puluhan tahun lalu, bahkan sejak zaman Belanda.

Salah satu tempat pilihan adalah Rasa Bakery and Cafe di Jalan Tamblong yang sudah berdiri sejak tahun 1945. Hidangan yang ditawarkan terutama es krim dan berbagai macam roti, sebagian masih menggunakan resep orisinal dan hingga kini dibuat tanpa bahan pengawet.

Manajer Rasa Bakery and Cafe Andreas Christianto mengatakan, tempat itu awalnya dimiliki pengusaha Belanda. Sebelumnya, Rasa bernama Hazes. Sekitar 40 tahun lalu, Rasa dibeli warga lokal.

Sampai sekarang, Rasa masih banyak didatangi kaum tua untuk sekadar bernostalgia, termasuk di antaranya turis Belanda. Beberapa makanan, antara lain, saucys brood dengan pilihan sapi, ayam, atau keju. Merg pijp adalah kue yang dibungkus campuran terigu dan gula, sedangkan amandel adalah bolu gulung dengan kacang. Ada pula kue tar, seperti black forest dan gateaux d african.

Es krim yang dijual berbentuk cone dan cup dengan rasa vanila, coklat, pisang, dan rum raisin. Es krim rasa rum raisin paling banyak dibeli. Rasa yang dulu tidak begitu luas semakin diperlebar. Namun, bangunan aslinya tetap dipertahankan.

Kalau tak ingin menyantap makanan, sebuah toko kopi tua bisa menjadi pilihan. Namun, jangan membayangkan pengunjung dapat duduk santai sambil meneguk nikmatnya kopi di sana. Pabrik Kopi Aroma, demikian nama tempat itu, hanya menjual kopi tanpa menyuguhkan minuman.

Pabrik Kopi Aroma berada di pertigaan Jalan Banceuy dengan Jalan Pecinan Lama. Buka pukul 08.00-16.00, kadang lebih awal atau lebih lambat. Tempat itu sudah buka sejak tahun 1930-an. Kopi yang dihasilkan pun diolah menggunakan mesin yang dibuat pada masa itu.

Tempat lain yang tak kalah mengandung nilai historis adalah Sumber Hidangan di Jalan Braga. Tempat itu sudah ada sejak tahun 1929. Dulu namanya Het Snoephuis. Berbagai jenis kue, misalnya kaasstengel atau mozaik, dan makanan, seperti nasi goreng, bihun, bakmi, dan bistik, dijual di sana.

Di Jalan Braga juga terdapat Kafe dan Restoran Braga Permai yang dulu bernama Maison Bogerijen. Tempat yang menjual bermacam roti itu dulu merupakan persinggahan delegasi Konferensi Asia Afrika (KAA) tahun 1955. Makanan yang dijual ketika itu tak jauh berbeda dengan saat ini.

Adapun di Jalan Otto Iskandar Dinata, Toko Roti Sidodadi sudah berdiri sejak tahun 1950-an. Resep pembuatannya masih sama dengan yang dijual dulu. Beberapa roti yang dijual adalah gambang, kismis, dan tawar frans. Toko tersebut masih terlihat sederhana.

Sezaman dengan toko roti Sidodadi, Restoran Queen di Jalan Dalem Kaum dibuka pendirinya tahun 1954. Menunya, antara lain, adalah capcay, mi goreng, dan fuyunghai. Restoran itu juga sempat dikunjungi tamu-tamu negara pada saat KAA berlangsung.

Tempat-tempat makan lain yang bisa dipertimbangkan adalah Warung Nasi Ma’ Uneh dan Sawios. Meski tidak dibuka sejak zaman Belanda, usaha yang sudah dijalankan setidaknya sejak tahun 1970-an itu bisa dikatakan relatif lama.

Keunikan lain dari kedua tempat itu, pengunjung harus rela melewati gang kecil yang tidak cukup dilewati mobil. Ma’ Uneh terletak di Jalan Terasana. Mereka yang ingin ke sana harus masuk sebuah jalan kecil di samping Rumah Sakit Melinda, Jalan Pajajaran.

Tempat itu buka pukul 07.00-16.00. Ketua Perhimpunan Hotel dan Restoran Indonesia (PHRI) Kota Bandung Eddy Rachmat mengatakan, semasa dirinya masih kuliah tahun 1970-an warung Ma’ Uneh sebenarnya menjadi tempat menunggu pemilik mobil ketika kendaraannya sedang diperbaiki di bengkel. Kini, usaha Ma’ Uneh semakin besar dengan penyajian lebih bersih dan tempat yang nyaman.

Adapun Warung Nasi Sawios terletak di gang kecil sebelah Bandoengsche Melk Centrale (BMC), Jalan Aceh. Pemiliknya adalah Siti Aminah (47) yang akrab disapa Ibu Hajjah. Ciri khas Sawios yang juga menginspirasi nama warung nasi tersebut adalah selera humor Ibu Hajjah. Setiap kali tamu membayar selalu diawali dengan kata Sunda "sawios" yang berarti ya sudah atau biarlah.

"Sawios Bu, genep las ribeng. Tengkyu. Sawios, permios, pribados, adios, amigos, extra joss, mentos, trimos," kata Siti kepada seorang pelanggannya. Jika diartikan kira-kira, "Sudahlah Bu, Rp 16.000 saja. Terima kasih."

Sementara rentetan kata-kata selanjutnya hanya ditambahkan untuk membuat konsumen tersenyum. Kekhasan lain, Siti menggunakan istilah yang lucu, misalnya london untuk sayur lodeh, sogun untuk soun, dan parabola untuk jengkol.

Istilah lain adalah susu maya untuk usus ayam, jerman untuk jeruk manis, kopasus untuk kopi susu panas, imas ge-er untuk ikan mas goreng, dan teroris untuk telor dadar. Siti mengatakan, hidangan yang menjadi andalan adalah semur jengkol.

Lauk lain yang banyak disukai adalah goreng kentang kering dan ayam goreng. Siti berjualan sejak tahun 1971. Warung nasi Sawios buka pukul 08.00-17.00. Agar tak kecewa, perlu diperhatikan bahwa warung itu tutup setiap hari Minggu dan hari libur nasional.

Sumber: Kompas, Sabtu, 30 Juni 2007.

Hiking Around the Crater

2007-11-28T17:46:00.000-08:00

Circling Kawah Ratu to the right (north) is popular and less dangerous route than to the left because the edge of the cliff is secured with a fence. Along the right, twisted trees on the rim make an eerie sight. After a short while, you see an experimental cloud-seeding station which was once run by Indonesia’s Agency for Applied Technology (BPPT) but is now defunct. It is possible to hike all around the outer rim of Mt. Tangkuban Perahu, passing the summit (2,076 m) in the northern part; however, there is no path that looks promising ends at spring.

An easy walk of thirty minutes lead down to the saddle between the two main craters, giving you a view into both Kawah Ratu and Kawah Upas, as well as back to the car park. From there you can climb steeply through forest up to the southern rim, where you meet another trail. If you turn to the right (west) onto this trail, you reach the cliff above the fissures emitting sulphur vapor, a thrilling view. The path then leaves the rim and leads on-either uphill to the transmitter station visible from Bandung, or downhill to the Sukawana Tea Plantation. If you turn to the left (east) on this trail when coming up from the saddle, you reach the ruins of a former volcanological observation station and then meet a path leading back to the car park down steep stairs. This way offers broad vistas over Kawah Ratu from the southern cliffs. Though there’s a retaining fence along here, these high and almost vertical cliffs can be dangerous, particularly for children.

You can also circle Kawah Ratu in the opposite direction, to the left from the car park. Watch for the small trail which leads to saddle between Kawah Ratu and Kawah Upas; it leaves the main trail after you have walked five minutes beyond the old observation station.

Back at the car park area you might consider buying souvenirs form on of the many stalls (bargain for about 50% of the asking price!) or some of those peculiar-looking red berries on offer. The sellers call them strawberries but they seem to be more closely related about ten of palm-sized boxes they come in.

Menguak Sejarah Alam Bandung Purba

2007-11-28T03:50:00.001-08:00

Bayangkan ketika kita duduk di pendopo Bandung yang indah saat ini, atau ketika tepekur dan berzikir di lantai marmer Masjid Raya Jawa Barat. Bila hal itu terjadi 20 ribu tahun yang lampau, berarti kita sedang duduk di dasar danau pada kedalaman 10 – 15 m.

Bayangkan kalau kita termenung memandang Sungai Citarum yang bersampah, hitam dan berbau di jembatan Dayeuh Kolot; 20 ribu tahun yang lampau kita sedang menyelam di dasar danau pada kedalaman 50 – 65 m dari permukaan air danau! Kalau kita berada di Kamar 7 Gua Pawon memandag lembah Cibukur 20 – 5 ribu tahun yag lali. Kita ditemani manusia – manias prasejarah yang berkerumun memandang binatang buruan di lembah Cibukur.

Kalau kita bermain – main di bebatuan Sungai Cikapundung di Maribaya 48 ribu tahun yang lalu kita bisa melihat lava yang mangalir dari kawah Gunung Tangkubanparahu.

Ketka orang – orang menggali batu kapur di Citatah 30 – 20 juta tahun yang lalu mereka sedang menggali terumbu karang yang indah di laut dangkal pada kedalaman 10 – 20 m dari permukaan laut purba di sebelah barat Bandung.

Alam telah jauh berubah sekarang!

Bandung sangat beruntung dengan sejarah alamnya yang luar biasa. Dari laut bertaman karang yang indah pada Zaman Tersier Kala Oligo-Miosin 30 – 20 juta tahun yang lalu, berubah menjadi daratan bergunung api pada Kala Pliosin 5 – 4 juta tahun yang lalu. Pada Zaman Kuarter 2 juta tahun yang lalu, seluruh Jawa Barat mulai ternagkat menjadi daratan, menjadi pegunungan dengan dihiasi gunung – gunung api aktif. Letusannya silih berganti: Gunug Sunda Purba meletus dahsyat berkali – kali. Gunung – gunung lain meletus susl menyusul: Gunung Tampomas, Ciremai, Syawal, Galunggung, Guntur, Papndayan, Cikurai, Patuha, Gede – Pangrango, dan Krakatau.

Letusan berulang – ulang terjadi pada 27 Agustus 1883, Kawah Danan Perbuwatan Gunung Krakatau di Selat Sunda meletus dahsyat. Suaranya menggelegar hingga terdengar ke Singapura bahkan Sydney. Abunya menembus lapisan langit dan mengendap tiga hari kemudian di New York. Selama bebearapa minggu abu letusan itu menutupi bumi menghalangi sinar matahari dan menyebabkan musim panas terdingin di belahan bumi utara.

Tahun 1982 Gunung Galunggung meluluhlantakkan sebagian Tasikmalaya. Abunya yang terlontar ke udara mendarat daruratkan pesawat Boeing penerbangan Sydney - London di Jakarta. Hujan abu jatuh di Bandung, membuat Bandung sesak dan pengap, dan baru berakhir ketika hujan pertama jatuh di bulan Oktober 1982. Tahun 2002 Gunung Papandayan menggegerkan Kecamatan Cisurupan, Garut. Letusan kecil yang membuat berita besar.

Pada Zaman Kuarter, sekitar 135 ribu tahun yang lalu, Danau Bandung terbentuk. Genangannya yang luas mengisi seluruh daratan tinggi Bandung dari Rancaekek hingga Saguling pada ketinggian antara 710 – 715 m di atas permukaan laut sekarang. 16 ribu tahun yang lalu, seiring dengan turunnya permukaan air laut, air danau menerobos perbukitan Saguling membelah dan membentuk lembah antara Pasir Larang dan Pasir Kiara, mengeringkan danau Bandung. Airnya kemudian mengalir pada lembah Sungai Citarum menerobos Gua Sangiangtikoro, dan terus mengalir ke utara. Jadi, tempat mengeringnya danau BAndung berada jauh kea rah hulu pada punggungan bukit Pasir Larang-Pasir Kiara, tidak di Sangiangtikoro.

Pada masa – masa mengeringnya danau Bandung antara 16 – 3 ribu tahun yang lalu, daratan Bandung menjadi ranca (rawa) yang becek yang menjadi tempat berjejalnya badak-badak dan hewan-hewan lainnya. Inilah padang perburuan yang menggiurkan dimasa purbakala. Dengan bersenjatakan tombak bermata batu obsidian yang keras dan tajam, manusia-manusia prasejarah leluhur orang Jawa Barat beranjak dari kampong-kampung purba di lereng-lereng perbukitan sekeliling Bandung menyerbu hewan buruan di daratan dan ranca di bawahnya.

Batu obsidian yang ditambang di Kendan, Nagreg: dan mungkin pula dari Gunung Kiamis, Garut, dibawa leluhur kita menyusuri jalan-jalan setapak antara Gaurt, Lels, Parakanmuncang, Cileunyi, Cinunuk, Cilebgkrang, dan Cikadut hingga dibuat berbagai alat dan senjata di bengkelnya di kawasan Situ Cangkuang di Leles, Garut, dan di bukit Dago Pakar, Bandung utara.

Sementara itu, koloni yang lain menjelajah perbukitan kapur di Citatah danmenemukan tempat yang nyaman untuk tingal: sebuah gua yang sekarang dinamakan Gua Pawon, serta ceruk-ceruk batu kapur yang banyak terdapat pada perbukitan kapur di bekas laut dangkal ini. Budaya karuhun kita ternyata luar biasa. Mereka telah mengenal api, membuat peralatan dari batu dan tulag, membuat perhiasan dari gigi ikan hiu, mebuat kendi-kendi dari tanah. Mereka mungkin menjelajah Garut dan Sukabumi Selatan, dan membawa pulang batu-batuan yang tidak ditemukan di sekitar Bandung. Mereka membawa oleh-oleh berupa gigi-gigi ikan hiu yang dirangkai menjadi kalung, dan kemudian menjadi hiasan kubur bagi oarng yang mereka hormati. Orang yang mereka kubur dalam penghormatan tinggi, tahun 2003 kerangkanya tergali meringkuk tenang di Gua Kopi (di Gua Pawon).

Begitulah sejarah alam Bandung yang luar biasa kaya, variatif dan menarik. Kini, alam Bandung telah jauh berubah. Evolusi yang berjalan lambat berjuta-juta tahun, berubah begtu cepat ketika manusia ikut campur tangan mengubah alam. Itulah peristiwa alam yang teratur datang berulang-ulang. Kejadian masa kini, terjadi pula pada masa lalu, dan akan terus terjadi pada masa yang akan datang.

Dari alam yang telah berubah, jelajah bentang alam masa kini akan membuka kunci masa lalu Bandung purba……….

Sumber: Geowisata, Sejarah Bumi Bandung, Budi Brahmantyo

Legendary Tangkuban Perahu

2007-11-28T03:16:00.000-08:00

Located in Lembang, this place is only within 30 minutes drive from Bandung (when the traffic is light). Tangkuban Prahu is actually a volcanic mountain. The shape resembles an upturned boat, hence, the name. (Tangkuban Prahu in Sundanese means, more or less, upturned boat) There is a legend involved in the creation of this mountain.

It is said that long time ago, there was a couple very much in love. They had a son called Sangkuriang. For some reason, the husband couldn’t walk around in his true form, so he was forced to assume the form of a dog. Sangkuriang loved the dog very much. One day, Dayang Sumbi, Sangkuriang’s mother, felt like eating a deer’s heart. Sangkuriang tried to hunt for a deer, in vain. In desperation, he killed the dog and took the dog’s heart to his mother. Dayang Sumbi, finally realizing that the dog had died, became extremely angry. He hit Sangkuriang, causing a wound on his forehead. Sangkuriang then fled, living somewhere else. Years had passed and Sangkuriang had grown into a fine young lad. Dayang Sumbi was as beautiful as ever. Sangkuriang met Dayang Sumbi then fell in love, not realizing that she was actually his mother. Dayang Sumbi shared the same affection, until she noticed the scar on Sangkuriang’s forehead. Convinced that she had found her lost son, Dayang Sumbi refused Sangkuriang’s marriage proposal. Sangkuriang persisted, so Dayang Sumbi asked him to build a big ship during the night. She thought Sangkuriang wouldn’t be able to finish this task. She was wrong—dawn was near, and the ship was almost complete. Dayang Sumbi then tricked the roosters to crow earlier, so Sangkuriang would think that the time was up. Sangkuriang was fooled. In bitter anger he kicked the ship aside. The ship then turned into a mountain.

Getting There

You can use public transportation from Bandung to this site, take a taxi, or rent a car. Renting a car is advisable, that way you can reach the top of the mountain without having to use much of your energy.

Where to Stay

Inns and hotels in Bandung. If you plan to spend the night at Lembang, however, various inns and hotels are also available.

Moving Around

If you’re in the mood to do some exercise, you can walk till you reach the top. If not, just drive until you reach the summit and enjoy the scenery.

Dining Guide

Snacks and light food can be found here. Do not expect haute cuisine, though. Or you can eat at numerous restaurants down below, in Lembang.

Souvenir Tips

Dolls, bags, and hats in synthetic fur. They look cute and great to wear, too.
Carved stones and onyx.
Pieces of sulphur, for medication purpose.
Jewelries and small trinkets.
Don’t forget to bargain!

Other Things to See or Do

Have a picnic while enjoying the scenery.
Watch the bubbling volcano (Tangkuban Prahu is an active volcano, but it’s still safe for visitors).
Take a walk to Kawah Upas. The white crater offers a spectacular sight.

Travel Tips

The smell of sulphur is quite strong, so those of you who cannot stand it should bring a handkerchief or similar things to cover their noses.
Be firm in refusing an unwanted peddlar. Some peddlars and merchants can be quite pushy.
Bring a jacket or sweater. The temperature in this place is quite cool.
Wear comfortable clothes and sneakers.

Sari Ater

2007-11-15T01:38:00.000-08:00

Situ Patengan

2007-11-15T00:12:00.000-08:00

East Bandung Hideaway

2007-11-14T22:01:00.000-08:00

In the east of Bandung lie several cities which have magnificent thinks to explore. First destination is Cipacing, it’s a village that is famous for wayang golek (wooden puppet) production. Passing Cipacing around 45 minutes driving, you’ll arrive at Cangkuang Temple. A village that has the only one Hindu temple that remains. Pass Cangkuang you’ll arrive in Cipanas, Garut, natural hot water area, where you can relax and loosen up your muscles. The natural hot water in Cipanas is different with the one in Lembang. It’s built from natural gas and it does not contain sulfur. The last destination is Garut. It’s a city that is famous for its leather products. Walk around the city and explore the amazing and nice hideaway places. Last but not least the perfect hideaway is Kampong Sampireun. A resort that offers a quiet, unique and natural beauty.

The Sight:
• Cipacing
• Cangkuang
• Cipanas
• Garut

Information:
• Distance 61 km
• Time 4-5 km
• Monday - Sunday

Sejarah Pariwisata Indonesia

2007-11-05T21:59:00.000-08:00

ABSTRAKSI
Telaah pustaka sejarah pariwisata mengungkapkan perniagaan sebagai awal adanya pariwisata. Ada juga yang berpendapat bahwa penemuan roda adalah awal dari kegiatan pariwisata. Catatan lain menunjukkan, perjalanan ibadah menjadi salah satu penyebab lahirnya pariwisata.
Penemuan mesin uap, telah membawa manusia menuju pariwisata massal modern. Hal ini mendorong munculnya masyarakat kota industrial dan modern, semakin banyaknya orang yang meningkat kesejahteraanya dan meluangkan diri untuk kegiatan pariwisata. MORE

Pesona Tangkuban Perahu

2007-11-01T21:30:00.000-07:00

SEBAGAI salah satu gunung api di Jawa Barat, Gunung Tangkuban Perahu sudah sangat dikenal dan melegenda. Letaknya sekitar 30 kilometer di sebelah utara Kota Bandung, dengan ketinggian 2.084 meter dari permukaan laut. Gunung tersebut identik dengan legenda tanah Sunda yang terkenal, yaitu Sangkuriang. Konon, bentuk gunung yang seperti trapesium terpancung tersebut merupakan perwujudan dari perahu terbalik yang ditendang Sangkuriang. Legenda itu erat kaitannya dengan nama Tangkuban Perahu.
Gunung berapi aktif tersebut sekarang memang masih "tidur". Namun, dalam waktu lebih dari seabad gunung tersebut beberapa kali meletus. Akibatnya, di kawasan puncak terdapat sembilan kawah yang rata-rata masih aktif mengeluarkan asap belerang.
Kawah terbesar yang berada di puncaknya adalah Kawah Ratu. Panorama alam di sekitar kawah ini sangat mengagumkan sehingga menarik minat orang untuk menikmatinya. Jadilah Gunung Tangkuban Perahu dengan keindahan alamnya sebagai tujuan wisata banyak orang.
Pesona Tangkuban Perahu yang mampu menarik wisatawan ribuan orang juga menarik minat ribuan warga untuk mengais rezeki di kawasan itu. Kini, tempat wisata andalan di tanah Sunda tersebut selalu ramai dipadati wisatawan dan mereka yang mencari sumber kehidupan di sana.

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN
Kenangan - Panorama kawah yang indah menarik minat pengunjung untuk menjadikannya latar belakang saat berfoto sebagai kenang-kenangan.

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN
Pasar Cenderamata - Puluhan kios yang menjual berbagai macam cenderamata berdiri di area sekitar kawah. Sebagai daerah tujuan wisata, kawasan ini mampu memberikan penghidupan bagi ratusan hingga ribuan warga setempat.

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN
Angklung - Alat musik tradisional ini dapat dibeli sebagai oleh-oleh khas dari tanah Sunda.

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN

Obat Sakit Kulit - Belerang yang berasal dari kawah gunung di jual bebas dalam bentuk serbuk atau bongkahan. Belerang ini diyakini bisa menjadi obat sakit kulit.

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN
Batas - Dinding kawah yang kering dan gersang bertolak belakang dengan punggungan salah satu puncak yang hijau penuh tumbuhan.

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN
Dari Batu - Seorang pedagang tengah menanti pembeli dagangan aksesorinya yang terbuat dari batu alam.

Sumber: Kompas, Minggu, 15 Juni, 2003

Dari Kawah hingga Air Panas

2007-11-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

TANGKUBAN Perahu, nama salah satu gunung api di Jawa Barat, sudah melegenda. Tingginya 2.084 meter dari permukaan laut. Letaknya sekitar 30 kilometer utara Bandung, ibu kota Provinsi Jawa Barat. Gunung berbentuk seperti trapesium terpancung, atau yang dikenal secara populer digambarkan berbentuk perahu terbalik, itu adalah salah satu gunung berapi aktif di Jabar.
Gunung berapi ini memang sekarang masih "tidur". Tetapi, dalam kurun waktu 1,5 abad tercatat telah beberapa kali meletus. Tak heran bila kita berada di atasnya menemukan ada sembilan kawah. Beberapa kawah memunculkan bau asap belerang, bahkan ada kawah yang dilarang dituruni karena bau asapnya mengandung racun.
Kesembilan kawah itu yakni Kawah Ratu, Upas, Domas, Baru, Jurig, Badak, Jarian, Siluman ,dan Pangguyangan Badak. Kendati kawah-kawah ini terlihat masih aman, sejak tahun 1985 perkembangannya terus dicermati dari Pos Pengamatan di Desa Cikole, Kecamatan Lembang, Kabupaten Bandung.
Bagi yang belum pernah berkunjung ke gunung ini, sangatlah mudah untuk mencapainya. Ini dikarenakan ada jalan beraspal yang bisa dilewati kendaraan roda empat dari Wates Lembang hingga ke Kawah Ratu. Tak heran, dengan kemudahan transportasi ini banyak wisatawan yang mengunjungi tempat ini.
Di Tangkuban Perahu, para wisatawan dapat belajar bagaimana sebagian alam itu terbentuk. Bayangkan, jika sebuah gunung berapi meletus, hampir dipastikan kita beranggapan daerah sekitarnya akan mengalami kegersangan dan menjadi daerah miskin. Tetapi, setelah sekian lama, ternyata gunung berapi itu memiliki lingkungan alamnya sendiri.
Gunung Tangkuban Perahu menjadi kegiatan penduduk dan dunia usaha, baik secara langsung maupun tidak langsung. Eksploitasi batuan-batuan belerang, berbagai tumbuhan, dan kerajinan masyarakat setempat menjadi sumber mata pencarian masyarakat setempat.
Keberadaan penduduk di sekitar gunung ini juga secara alamiah memanfaatkan kekayaan alamnya untuk dimanfaatkan. Lingkungan yang subur bagi pertanian tanaman pangan, sayuran, dan tanaman lain seperti perkebunan teh menjadi sumber penghidupan mereka.
Sementara bagi masyarakat di luar lingkungan Gunung Tangkuban Perahu, kesejukan udara dan pemandangan yang indah menjadi daya tarik tersendiri. Inilah yang membuat para pengunjung selalu ingin mengetahui berbagai hal mengenai terbentuknya kawah-kawah pada gunung api ini.
Namun, setiap pengunjung biasanya tidak sembarangan bisa turun ke kawah-kawah gunung berapi itu. Di sana disediakan pemandu. Ini penting untuk menjaga keselamatan mereka. Untuk mendapatkan informasi yang lebih mendalam tentang gunung api ini, maka selain menemui petugas kantor pusat informasi yang disediakan PT Perhutani Jabar yang ada di sana, juga dapat menemui petugas Pos Pengamatan setempat.
Ketika turun ke beberapa kawah tersebut, kita akan mengetahui bahwa gunung berapi ini dalam keadaan aktif normal. Asap yang muncul berwarna putih dengan tekanan gas yang lemah. Tinggi asap berkisar antara 5-25 meter dari permukaan kawah. Asap inilah yang menimbulkan bau belerang.
Bagi wisatawan atau pelajar, turun langsung ke kawah-kawah gunung api ini memberikan contoh riil dari proses alam yang terjadi di Bumi. Ini tentu saja menuntut instansi terkait memberikan panduan yang baik secara ilmiah ba-gaimana mereka bisa menikmatinya secara aman. Selain secara ilmiah, juga cerita legenda Sangkuriang menjadi menarik untuk diikutsertakan dalam pemberian informasi mengenai terbentuknya gunung berapi ini.
Usai menikmati puncak gunung api ini, wisatawan mempunyai banyak pilihan untuk menikmati suasana lain di sekitarnya. Daerah sekeliling puncak gunung ini bukanlah kegersangan yang kita lihat, tetapi justru sebuah kawasan hutan lindung yang terjaga dengan baik.
Selain pepohonan, berbagai jenis anggrek dan bunga khas pegunungan sangat indah dapat dinikmati ketika menyusuri ke puncak gunung ini. Untuk menikmati keindahan alam ini, wisatawan dapat memilih melakukan perkemahan di Wana Wisata Cikole yang letaknya tidak jauh dari Taman Wisata Tangkuban Perahu.
***
KEINDAHAN hutan di sekitar Gunung Tangkuban Perahu juga dapat dinikmati dengan jalan kaki. Wisatawan yang datang dari Lembang dapat mencapai Tangkuban Perahu dengan rute jalan kaki menuju Wana Wisata Jayagiri. Ini biasanya disebut lintas hutan indah melalui hutan pinus.
Di daerah kaki gunung terhampar areal perkebunan dan tempat wisata-tempat wisata yang tertata rapi. Selain itu, jika saat udara cerah kita dapat melihat dengan jelas antara lain Laut Jawa dan Kota Bandung, serta daerah Subang.
Di daerah Subang misalnya, kita dapat melihat salah satu proses patahan gunung ini, yakni terbentuknya beberapa mata air panas. Untuk menikmati air panas kita bisa berkunjung ke tempat wisata Sari Ater di Ciater. Kawasan ini diperuntukkan bagi wisatawan yang ingin menikmati peristirahatan atau rekreasi alam.
Mata air panas di Sari Ater berasal dari kawah aktif Gunung Tangkuban Perahu. Suhunya mencapai 44 derajat Celcius. Namun, setelah dialirkan ke kolam renang dan ke kamar-kamar hotel turun menjadi 37-40 derajat Celcius.
Diyakini banyak pengunjung yang datang, bahwa berendam di dalam kolam renang air panas tersebut akan memperoleh kesembuhan dari berbagai penyakit. Antara lain seperti kelumpuhan, rematik, gangguan saraf, tulang, dan berbagai penyakit kulit.
Ini diperkirakan karena air tersebut mengandung belerang, yang disebut-sebut sebagai unsur penting untuk perawatan berbagai penyakit apabila dilakukan secara teratur. Air panas di Sari Ater, setelah mengalir ke sungai sepanjang 2.000 meter menjadi dingin dan dimanfaatkan penduduk setempat untuk kepentingan pengairan lahan persawahan. Air ini juga dipercaya dapat meningkatkan mutu panen dibandingkan dengan menggunakan air biasa.
Di Sari Ater, selain pemandian air panas sebanyak tujuh kolam, juga disediakan fasilitas rekreasi lainnya, yakni kamar mandi air panas alam, area piknik, taman patung hewan, kuda tunggang dan delman, taman bermain untuk anak-anak, perahu dayung, lahan perkemahan, dan sarana joging.
Di samping itu, juga terdapat hotel yang memiliki 101 kamar dengan berbagai kelas. Kamar-kamar ini dirancang dengan arsitektur khas tradisional dan dilapisi dengan dinding bambu.
Dalam menikmati panorama Tangkuban Perahu, wisatawan perlu tahu wilayah-wilayah yang tak boleh diinjak karena membahayakan. Menurut berita berkala vulkanologi edisi khusus berjudul G Tangkubanparahu yang diterbitkan Direktorat Jenderal Geologi dan Sumberdaya Mineral Direktorat Vulkanologi, Departemen Pertambangan dan Energi, tahun 1990, wilayah atau daerah bahaya Tangkuban Perahu meliputi luas sekitar 57,5 km persegi.
Wilayah itu mungkin terancam oleh jatuhan rempah vulkanik (abu, lapili, bom) terbatas pada jarak radius 2,5 km persegi sampai 3 km persegi, yakni sekitar kawah aktif.
Aliran awan panas ataupun aliran lava mungkin sebagian besar akan mengisi lembah-lembah yang berhulu dari puncak yang diperkirakan sejauh kurang lebih tujuh sampai 10 km ke berbagai arah. Ke arah selatan melalui Sungai Cibodas, Sungai Cihideung, Sungai Cimahi, dan Sungai Cikole.
Ke arah utara dan timurlaut melalui Sungai Cipangasahan dengan cabang-cabang Sungai Cinangka, Sungai Cipunagara, dan Sungai Cikondang yang dapat mencapai sekitar 20 km. Hal ini disebabkan oleh lereng sebelah utara lebih curam dibandingkan lereng di selatan. Di samping itu, gawir sesar Lembang merupakan dinding penghalang aliran ke selatan.
Menurut catatan tertua yang ditulis Junghuhn (1853), Tangkuban Perahu mengalami erupsi tahun 1829. Ketika itu pada tanggal 4-7 April, letusan abu secara terus-menerus berasal dari pusat erupsi Kawah Ratu dan Kawah samping Domas. Lalu pada tahun 1846 terjadi erupsi dalam Kawah Ratu.
Tahun 1896 terjadi letusan freatic, dan terbentuknya Kawah Baru. Tahun 1910 terjadi letusan dalam Kawah Ratu, menghasilkan skorea dan abu. Dan, pada tahun 1952 hingga sekarang Tangkuban Perahu dalam keadaan aktif normal.

Sumber: Kompas, Sabtu, 28 Juli 2001.

Ciater "Surga" di Punggung Tangkuban Perahu

2007-11-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

TIDAK banyak tempat wisata di Indonesia yang menawarkan air panas alami langsung dari gunung aktif dengan bau belerangnya yang menyengat, namun berkhasiat untuk mengobati penyakit-penyakit tertentu. Apalagi tempat wisata air panas itu sudah dikelola baik sehingga sangat nyaman untuk menjadi tempat berwisata, lengkap dengan penginapan, restoran, taman bermain, bahkan ruang pertemuan besar untuk perayaan perkawinan dan sejenisnya.
Rekreasi Air Panas Alam Sari Ater atau lebih banyak dikenal dengan Ciater adalah salah satu lokasi wisata air panas yang menyediakan hampir semua kebutuhan wisata. Sari Ater benar-benar menawarkan "surga" bagi para pengunjungnya, dari golongan mana pun mereka berasal. Tempat wisata yang berlokasi di Desa Ciater, Kecamatan Jalan Cagak, Kabupaten Subang, Jawa Barat, itu tidak pelak lagi adalah lokasi pemandian air panas alam terdepan di Indonesia karena berbagai kelengkapan dan variasi wisata yang disajikannya.
Wajarlah bila setiap akhir pekan ribuan warga dari berbagai tempat datang ke Ciater. Barisan puluhan bus besar, mobil pribadi, dan sepeda motor, menjadi pemandangan yang sudah biasa ditemui di sekitar Sari Ater. Maka dari itu, belumlah lengkap perjalanan rekreasi Anda ke Bandung jika belum datang ke Ciater yang jaraknya sekitar 32 kilometer dari Bandung atau 30 km dari Kota Subang.
Data dari manajemen PT Sari Ater menyebutkan, pada tahun 2002 setiap harinya Ciater dikunjungi 2.861 orang atau total pada tahun 2002 dikunjungi 1.044.319 orang. Dari jumlah itu, 2.810 di antaranya adalah wisatawan mancanegara.
SARI Ater adalah lokasi wisata yang menempati lahan seluas 40 hektar. Lokasinya berada di punggung Gunung Tangkuban Perahu, semakin memesona karena dikelilingi perkebunan teh milik PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) VII. Usianya yang sudah 20 tahun membuat lokasi wisata ini benar-benar tumbuh menjadi sebuah resor yang lengkap.
Tidak mengherankan bila banyak wisatawan menjadikan Ciater sebagai tempat rutin untuk berekreasi. Mendatangi tempat ini, kita memang tidak akan pernah bosan, bahkan sebaliknya kita akan terus ketagihan.
"Saya sebulan dua kali ke sini bersama keluarga, tidak pernah bosan. Malahan sudah kayak rutinitas yang harus dilakukan bersama keluarga. Kalau kelewatan, seperti ada yang kurang," ungkap Rudi Suherman, salah seorang warga Jatinegara, Jakarta, ketika ditemui tengah asyik berekreasi di Ciater.
Keluarga seperti keluarga Rudi jumlahnya banyak, bahkan mungkin tak terhitung. Mereka memilih Ciater bukan hanya karena air panasnya, tetapi karena lokasi wisata itu memang menawarkan banyak sekali pilihan wisata untuk keluarga. Selain mandi air panas, di Ciater kita bisa menunggang kuda menikmati keindahan lokasi wisata Ciater, sekadar berjalan-jalan di sekitar kebun teh atau tea walk, memancing, melukis, bermain tenis atau golf, bahkan menjalani pengobatan penunjang medis.
Masih kurang? Manajemen Sari Ater menawarkan sajian terbaru, yaitu berlatih membuat kerajinan keramik, mulai dari pengolahan bahan dasar sampai menjadi barang jadi, dan berwisata ke pabrik teh PTPN VII serta menikmati teh olahan langsung dari pabrik tersebut.
"Kami memang ingin menjadikan Sari Ater ini sebagai one stop recreation sehingga seluruh anggota keluarga bisa menikmatinya. Hal itu wajar saja karena 90 persennya adalah wisatawan lokal, terutama keluarga dari Jakarta. Sekarang, setelah bom di Bali dan perang di Irak, jumlah wisatawan asing memang semakin turun sehingga wisatawan lokal semakin kuat menjadi target pemasaran kami," kata M Hidayat Tasrif, Sales and Marketing Manager Sari Ater.
Untuk itulah, selain air panas alami yang berkhasiat bisa mengobati penyakit-penyakit tertentu, di lokasi wisata Ciater ini pun disediakan kegiatan senam untuk ibu-ibu, melukis, menunggang kuda, dan membuat keramik untuk anak-anak serta bermain tenis dan golf untuk bapak-bapak dan anggota keluarganya.
PERJALANAN menuju Ciater pun akan memberikan kesan tersendiri karena kita akan menjumpai jalan yang berliku, menanjak-menurun, dilengkapi pemandangan hutan pinus dan kebun teh di kiri-kanannya. Udaranya yang sejuk serta kabut yang sesekali turun menyelimuti jalan bisa dinikmati sambil menyantap jagung bakar atau jagung rebus yang banyak dijual di sejumlah lokasi menuju Ciater dari arah Bandung.
Selain dari Bandung, Ciater bisa dengan mudah dijangkau dari Jakarta melalui tol Cikampek, kemudian diteruskan ke arah Purwakarta dan berbelok di pertigaan Kecamatan Campaka menuju Kabupaten Subang. Adapun dari arah utara, antara lain Cirebon, Indramayu, menuju Ciater bisa melalui Pamanukan-Subang atau melalui jalan alternatif Sumedang-Subang.
Perjalanan yang mungkin terasa melelahkan akan langsung hilang begitu kita sampai di Ciater. Udaranya yang sejuk, berbaur dengan asap air panas dan bau belerang, pastilah membuat kita tak sabar untuk segera turun dan menikmati air panas alami dari gunung Tangkuban Perahu itu. Lelah selama perjalanan pun dengan cepat terobati begitu kita merendam tubuh di kolam-kolam air panas Ciater. Untuk bersantai bersama keluarga, di Ciater juga banyak tikar untuk disewakan. Ongkos sewanya Rp 2.000-Rp 2.500 per helai.
Tak jauh dari kolam-kolam tempat berendam itu, baik kolam yang gratis maupun kolam khusus dengan tiket masuk Rp 7.000 sampai Rp 11.000 per orang, terdapat kafe atau rumah makan. Penjaja makanan, seperti jagung bakar, kacang tanah rebus, sampai mi bakso dan nasi goreng membuat kita bisa benar-benar menikmati waktu santai di Ciater.
Untuk mereka yang mempunyai uang lebih dan memang ingin menikmati suasana malam di Ciater, manajemen Sari Ater menyediakan paket "Semalam di Kampung Kabayan". Sebanyak 77 ruang untuk beristirahat tersedia di Ciater, mulai dari kelas Family Suite sampai Standard Deluxe. Tarifnya bervariasi dari Rp 331.500 (standard room) sampai Rp 1.092.000 (family suite).
Sementara itu, bagi kelompok-kelompok yang lebih suka menikmati tidur di alam terbuka, di Ciater bisa menyewa tenda sekaligus tempatnya dengan tarif Rp 150.000 per tenda per hari. Membawa tenda sendiri pun bisa, tinggal menyewa tempatnya saja. Jika ingin menyelenggarakan pertandingan tarik tambang, balap karung, dan lomba bakiak, di Ciater Anda tinggal menyewa saja dan tak perlu membawanya dari tempat asal Anda.
Pada hari-hari libur, hiburan di Ciater pun tersedia beragam, mulai dari atraksi, kesenian jaipongan, sisingaan, sampai pertunjukan dangdut. Singkatnya, berbagai kebutuhan wisata memang coba disediakan oleh manajemen Sari Ater sehingga cita-cita menjadikan Ciater sebagai one stop recreation benar-benar terwujud.
Bila dibandingkan dengan tempat wisata lain, berwisata ke Ciater mungkin dinilai jauh lebih mahal atau bahkan mungkin terlalu mahal untuk sebagian orang. Hal ini memang tidak bisa dibantah.
Namun, mahalnya tiket masuk dan biaya menikmati berbagai fasilitas yang tersedia itu agaknya menjadi relatif manakala dibandingkan dengan kepuasan yang akan kita peroleh. Jadi, siap-siaplah ketagihan Ciater.

Oleh: Johan Waskita/Rakaryan S

Sumber: Kompas, Sabtu, 13 Maret 2004.

Kembalilah ke Indonesia!

2007-11-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

Bursa Wisata Norwegia
OleH: Denny Sutoyo- Gerberding
Seruan yang bernada imbauan di atas sama sekali bukan pesan iklan, melainkan judul artikel utama harian Aftenposten, koran tiras pertama Norwegia, Jumat, 12 Januari 2007.
Tulisan itu dilengkapi dengan foto Trio Batakos, penyanyi lagu-lagu Batak yang khusus didatangkan untuk tampil di stan Indonesia, dalam bursa wisata Norwegia, Reiseliv 2007.
Kegiatan berlangsung di balai pameran dagang Norwegia (Norges Varemesse) di Lillestrom yang luasnya 25.000 meter persegi. Pameran diikuti 170 negara dengan 1.000 peserta dan berlangsung selama empat hari, antara 11 Januari dan 14 Januari.
Meskipun penduduk Norwegia hanya sekitar 5 juta, tetapi pengunjung pameran ini mencapai 38.126 orang.
Orang Norwegia memang paling doyan berwisata selain memiliki GNP tinggi. Di samping itu, cuaca yang dingin hampir sepanjang tahun membuat travelling menjadi kebutuhan pokok, bahkan sebagai gaya hidup.
Duta Besar Indonesia untuk Norwegia dan Eslandia, Retno Marsudi, menggarisbawahi pentingnya keikutsertaan Indonesia dalam promosi wisata ini, sebab kalau tidak Indonesia akan kehilangan momentum dan dilupakan oleh wisatawan Skandinavia.
Meski jumlahnya tidak begitu besar, penduduk Norwegia (dan Skandinavia pada umumnya) masuk dalam kategori "wisatawan kelas menengah dan atas" dan "long stay guests". Untuk itu Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia (KBRI) Oslo memilih pariwisata sebagai fokus program kerja tahun 2007 dengan nama Forum on Indonesia 2007: Promoting Tourism.
Menurut Retno Marsudi, urutan kegiatannya berupa partisipasi dalam reiseliv (bursa wisata), kemudian temu bisnis/travel gathering, pemutaran film dan promosi budaya di Trondheim, road trip pariwisata Indonesia, partisipasi dalam pameran budaya di Oslo dan Krodero, fam tour untuk jurnalis pariwisata, serta pagelaran kesenian/musik .
Membangun citra
Lucunya, meskipun sama sekali bukan "pemain baru" sebagai tujuan wisata dunia, dalam pameran itu Indonesia disebut sebagai salah satu "negara baru", disusul Panama, Peru, Slovenia, Latvia, dan Bulgaria.
Ini disebabkan Indonesia baru pertama kali ikut serta dalam bursa wisata di Norwegia. Namun, dari semua itu hanya Indonesia yang dipilih sebagai headline oleh harian Aftenposten. Mungkin Indonesia satu-satunya peserta yang menampilkan grup kesenian (tari dan musik) secara teratur selama empat hari pameran? Bisa jadi.
Akan tetapi, yang lebih meyakinkan adalah tulisan tersebut juga menyebutkan bahwa Indonesia dikenal sebagai salah satu tujuan wisata yang paling cantik dan menarik di dunia. Selama ini, tujuan wisata utama warga Norwegia di Asia adalah Thailand.
Namun, yang menjadi pertanyaan, mengapa sejak beberapa tahun ini industri wisata Indonesia justru cenderung lesu. Ini disebabkan, antara lain terjadinya serangkaian bencana dan malapetaka yang menimpa Indonesia. Seperti layaknya permainan kartu domino, sejak itu banyak orang takut datang ke Indonesia.
Selama ini segi keamanan juga selalu menjadi alasan lesunya sektor pariwisata Indonesia. Namun, keikutsertaan Indonesia dalam bursa wisata di Norwegia ini menunjukkan hal yang berbeda, seperti dikatakan oleh Mudji Sabar, Kepala Subdirektorat Promosi wilayah Eropa Kementerian Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata.
"Dari pembicaraan dengan asosiasi travel dan tour operator Norwegia/Skandinavia selama pameran, juga dari konferensi pers yang kami adakan di sini, tidak ada yang menyinggung soal keamanan. Rupanya masyarakat di sini sadar bahwa teror bisa terjadi di mana saja, bukan hanya Bali. Jadi asumsi saya, untuk wilayah Norwegia/Skandinavia keamanan bukan lagi isu sentral".
Dukungan
Pernyataan itu didukung oleh dua operator tur/industri wisata yang ikut dalam stan Indonesia, yaitu Pacto dan beberapa agen perjalanan asal Amerika Serikat.
Ricky Setiawanto dari Pacto melihat bahwa isu keamanan sudah tidak lagi valid. Apa yang dia lakukan adalah repositioning, mencoba meyakinkan pasar Norwegia bahwa Indonesia memiliki produk-produk baru yang belum mereka kenal lantaran orang Norwegia adalah pelanggan Thailand.
"Ke depan, kita harus lebih aktif lagi untuk memetakan Indonesia sebagai alternatif utama bagi warga Norwegia/Skandinavia mengingat Vietnam sudah masuk, dan letaknya memang lebih dekat dengan Thailand," kata Ricky.
Gunnar Skjolden dari Asia Line & Hapag Norway Chapter sudah kembali memimpin studi untuk sembilan operator tur Norwegia ke Bali dan Lombok, November lalu. Dia juga menjadwalkan studi tour Indonesia dengan mengajak khusus wartawan wisata yang menulis untuk berbagai media di Skandinavia.
Dia mengatakan, Bali akan tetap menjadi tujuan wisata karena memiliki produk wisata yang lain dari pada Thailand. "Yang penting, antrean visa on arrival jangan terlalu panjang. Asal itu bisa dijamin, kurang dari 20 menit akan banyak orang Skandinavia yang datang ke Bali," katanya.
Sedang Cecilia dari Wikstrom Reiser AS yang duduk di stan Thailand khusus datang ke stan Indonesia untuk meyakinkan bahwa Bali tidak kalah dari Phuket, Thailand.
"Saya paling suka bawa keluarga dan anak-anak saya ke Bali. Phuket hanya punya pantai dan sekarang terlalu penuh dan ramai. Kalau di Bali kami punya banyak alternatif, ada upacara, tarian dan gamelan, naik sepeda di kampung," ujar Cecilia.
Lantas apa saja yang bisa dicapai dari keikutsertaan Indonesia dalam bursa wisata di Norwegia?
Sebagai pejabat urusan promosi di Eropa Mudji Sabar mengatakan, "Kehadiran Indonesia secara fullpfledge dalam bursa wisata di wilayah ini harus diteruskan dengan lebih terencana dan menitikberatkan pada fokus-fokus tertentu, bisa produk bisa juga destinasi".
Ia menambahkan, kita tahu bahwa orang Norwegia menghargai penerbangan langsung dan tidak sensitif atas harga, tetapi produknya harus valuable. Selain itu mereka mengharap pengalaman spesial yang tidak ada di daerah lain.
Mengutip pernyataan asosiasi dan industri wisata setempat, Mudji Sabar mengatakan, "Kedepan setting-nya harus Skandinavia, bukan hanya Norwegia karena menyangkut target di atas 60.000 wisatawan, melebihi Spanyol".
Dalam Reiseliv 2007, seluruh peserta dari Asia/kelompok PATA mendapat jatah lokasi di hall D. Stan Indonesia bersebelahan dengan China dan Malaysia. Seperti diduga, luas stan Malaysia dan Thailand agak lebih besar dibanding Indonesia, meskipun demikian, stan Indonesia lebih menarik perhatian pengunjung karena memiliki atraksi kesenian tari dan musik yang digelar berturut-turut.

Denny Sutoyo- Gerberding dari Oslo

Sumber: Kompas, Jumat, 19 Januari 2007.

Definition of Tourism Technology

2007-06-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

Definition of Tourism Technology
The convergence of industries has forced people to create terminology such as information technology, biotechnology, ubiquitous technology and even cultural technology to explain frequently talked about topics. Tourism Technology is a term that encompasses all social, cultural, managerial, and value-adding activities of the tourism industry. Tourism Technology also incorporates and encourages technological advancements and economic development in the tourism industry.

The Origin of Tourism Technology
"Tourism Technology", initially based on the concept of cultural technology, is a more comprehensive term covering knowledge used to add to the value of tourism products on a micro level and the management of the travel and tourism industry on a macro level. New tourism products are also the end result of tourism technology combining with other industries. These include medical tourism, educational tourism, agricultural tourism, marine tourism, and the application of information technology to the travel and tourism industry.

Application of Tourism Technology
The term "technology" can easily call to mind scientific achievements, computer graphic skills, special effects and other engineering-related images. However, "Tourism Technology" encompasses the integrated fields mentioned in the previous paragraph, statistics, managerial and socio-cultural know-how, and skills that the tourism industry can adopt to design, produce, and market various tourism products. In addition to coordinating various aspects of human resources in the travel and tourism industry, “Tourism Technology” describes a comprehensive field containing but not limited to such widely referred to subjects as entertainment technology, contents technology and creative technology. Examples of how tourism technology can be applied are as follows.
•Development of tourism products that tell a story
•Convergence with other industries such as medical and film industries
•Application of advanced information technology to provide tourist information via navigation systems or PDAs.

Technology in Tourism

2007-06-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

New Zealand travel operators seem to have a love affair with printed promotional material. And with good reason: it's a good way to tout your offerings to the two million travellers coming through the gates each year. But as more travellers research and make bookings online, and as laptops, mobile phones and personal digital assistants make their way into backpacks and carry-on luggage, is it time to look at more modern, technologically advanced marketing tools? Have the old stand-bys seen their day?

Where on earth will technology take tourism next?

Yes. And no.
"New technologies tend to add ways to reach customers rather than necessarily replace old ones," says Tim Deane, Tourism New Zealand's General Manager, Marketing. But he points out that compared to fi ve years ago, a smaller percentage of his annual marketing spend is on paper brochures. On a limited budget he says it's better for Tourism New Zealand to invest more in the website and limit published brochures to just one of high quality. "High speed connections give many potential visitors the ability to "experience" destinations before they visit. These experiences might come through interactive maps, itinerary planners or video and audio presentations."

"There is a huge range of technology that has come around using the internet as a connecting factor," says Ernie Newman, Chief Executive of Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand (TUANZ). And he says we're only at the beginning of really innovative uses of these new technologies in all sectors of the economy, including tourism.

What Next for Websites

The interactivity of the internet means that websites can be much more than an online version of your printed brochure. High speed connections give many potential visitors the ability to "experience" destinations before they visit. These experiences might come through interactivemaps, itinerary planners or video and audio presentations.
Research conducted by Tourism New Zealand showed that tourists want more information. The research also revealed that the more planning a visitor did before arriving, the more they enjoyed their trip.
"Maps, word of mouth, guide books and the internet topped the list of tools used by our target market" says Catherine Bates Tourism New Zealand's Manager Marketing Communications. "But when travellers were asked 'what do they want online?' the answer was maps, planning tools and ways to collect their ideas and send the gathered information to others, including travel agents and airlines."
In July, Tourism New Zealand launched an interactive travel planning feature on www.newzealand.com. The planner allows visitors to organise material, put together an itinerary, plot it on the map and export it to friends and agents. Part of the attraction of the internet is that you don't have to be a large organisation to enjoy its benefi ts. It is the first medium that has made it possible for even the smallest operators to reach the masses in a professional way.
But, as Dzin Wilson, Marketing Manager at Shotover Jet says, putting a website out in cyberspace doesn't mean it's going to do a job for you. "You can't just hope someone will click onto it. You need to be constantly thinking about how you can improve it to keep up with the times and your clients."

There is a huge range of technology now available to tourists.
Next generation websites might mean something quite significant like virtual tours or interactive television ads.Several years ago Tourism New Zealand experimented with an interactive television ad in the UK but Tim Deane says they found the technology worked better on the internet. The 90-second clip on the Tourism New Zealand website now allows a visitor to start and stop the video and click to learn more about an area or activity. Click again and go to the main website with operator information and booking options.
Another tool - video streaming - is one TUANZ's Ernie Newman is keeping an eye on. He sees enormous potential for guests to use operator's websites to share experiences with friends overseas. Hook up a video camera, broadcast jumps or jet boat rides and encourage clients to text message their mates back home to tune in and watch them - in real time.

A Matter of Trust

Not everyone is going to invite their workmates to witness their bungy jump, but they're still going to talk about it when they get home. Word of mouth has been described as the single most powerful marketing tool and the internet has given everyone a very large mouth. On Yahoo's travel section alone there are over 250,000 user recommendations.
And then there are blogs - or web logs. These online diaries allow travellers to share their experiences with the world.
"There are plenty of sites that facilitate creating travel journals," says Shift's Che Tamahori, who envisages on-line diaries growing and developing as systems get more depth. One thing that impresses him is photo blogging. Instead of words, travellers post their photos on a site like www.flickr.com and let the world see their holiday.
Other than making sure you provide a great experience for "bloggers" to write about, how can operators or RTOs actively use blogs in marketing campaigns? One way is to follow the lead of the Pennsylvania Tourism Offi ce in the United States. Earlier this year, it offered six "bloggers" space on its VisitPA.com website to report on their travels around Pennsylvania. The bloggers cover the demographics: a family looking for adventure, a single 'history-buff', two women in search of culture, a motorcycle rider, a mountain biker and a young couple looking for the 'hip' side of the state. Sure the blogs might need a bit of editing to suit a government-funded site, but the disclaimer is clear: content is the opinion of bloggers, not the Tourism Office. It may be out of reach for a small operator to manage such a campaign, but how about using your visitor's blogs like you do written testimonials? Ask customers if they're keeping a blog and direct potential visitors to their site.
If you don't feel comfortable with that but still want to use virtual word of mouth, electronic postcards on your site can be shared with friends back home - give them a voucher for sending fi ve. It's an easy way for travellers to stay in touch and an easy way to reach potential visitors. Tourism New Zealand has that option, so does Contiki Holidays. Contiki also has a message board where travellers can 'meet' before a trip and/or share experiences afterwards.
Regardless of how hi-tech your marketing tools, the goal should remain to provide the visitor with a quality experience - word of mouth will happen, so give them only the best to talk about. That's the mission at Whale Watch.
"Our backbone philosophy isn't about technology or print advertising," says Executive Assistant, Thomas Kahu. "It's focused on the experience, so visitors become ambassadors." But some of the tools that Whale Watch has for those 'ambassadors' are pretty high tech. "It's a powerful experience," says Thomas Kahu, "So we use powerful memorabilia."
Like DVDs - that use animation and multimedia to help the viewer feel they are experiencing the real thing. People ask for a copy of the boat trip. They want to become a story teller themselves and share the experience with friends and family."
Future web-based applications are aimed to let clients 're-experience' their visit. Passwords will allow visitors - who are back home in the offi ce - to fi nd out where the whales they spotted are swimming.

Phone Home

Brothers Geoffrey and Derek Handley founded The Hyperfactory, an Auckland and Hong Kong-based company that specialises in mobile communications. They foresee a lot of activity in the tourist sector and believe mobile phones and PDA's (personal digital assistants) will be key tools to reach tourists.
A campaign currently running in Hong Kong sees a tourist receive a picture or a video of their experience in Hong Kong on their mobile phone. They then send the image (that happens to have a watermark of the operator's website) to friends back home. When the traveller sends five of these 'post cards' they go into a draw to win a prize. There are other potential applications.
Hypothetically, says Handley, a tourist could send a text message to a mate and receive a voucher for a rafting trip or a plane ride. Send another message and receive an accommodation discount.

Where am I?

Global positioning systems (GPS) use satellites to pinpoint location. As a marketing tool its simplest use is to include your GPS coordinates with your address. Sure it's a bit of an assumption that guests will be travelling with a GPS, but consider this: cars are coming off the assembly line with GPS installed, at least one rental company (Avis) has units available for hire and New Zealand's own NAVMAN has sold around 70,000 hand held and in-car GPS systems since launching them on the market just last year. GPS is becoming common, with several thousand NAVMAN in operation on our roads right now.

KRUSE uses GPS to provide a commentary for car users.

Auckland-based Jonathan Kruse has developed a talking tour guide based on GPS. Kruse's systems are available for hire: plug it into the cigarette lighter and drive around New Zealand listening to recorded narrations.
Kruse says the system is a perfect way to market to a tourist at just the right location. Next year he plans to enhance the systems and offer limited advertising space. (See page 12)
Disconnected
Lawrence Smith, founder of Cabbage Tree Creative, a web development company for the tourism industry, sees a bit of a 'disconnect' in New Zealand tourism. "A campaign currently running in Hong Kong sees a tourist receive a picture or a video of their experience or adventure on their mobile phone. They then send the image (that happens to have a watermark of the operator's website) to friends back home."
"Travel consumers in general are very IT savvy. But," he says, "tourism operators are generally far less IT aware. As a result, you have a market that is genuinely interested in technology and actively use it to plan and book vacations - but the industry is less capable of delivering it."
So, don't go burning the stacks of brochures that are cluttering up the store room just yet. But next time you're at the electronics store, you might want to pick a few brochures up on how to use new technology.
Source: Tourism News

Tourism Development in Indonesia

2007-06-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

Indonesia is located on over 13,000 islands and has over 17 percent of the earth’s species. Roughly and conservatively, Indonesia houses about 11 percent of flowering plant species, 12 percent of the world’s mammals, 17 percent of all birds, and at least 37 percent the world’s fish.
Since its independence, the government of Indonesia has exploited the natural resources of country to fuel “development”. Minerals and oil are heavily extracted; forest have been cleared and cut down. The development—which emphasizes very much on economic growth—has neglected almost all aspects other than economic growth. Until the late 1980s, the focus of the development had been on import substitution, and after that on developing export oriented industries. Hence, development in Indonesia means nothing more than industrialization. Moreover, industrialization in Indonesia has been focused on manufacturing.
As stated in its long-term plan of development, Indonesia started its development by boosting the agriculture to be self-sufficient in food, and at the same time, establishing the foundations for industrialization. After completing the phase of developing its secondary (manufacturing) industry, the country moved forward to tertiary (service) industry. Relying on this concept on the early 1990s, Indonesia promoted the development of service industries. The most prominent sector in this industry is tourism.
Tourism has played an important role in some provinces in Indonesia. The province of Bali, for example, enjoyed revenues from tourism even before the Government of Indonesia gave its attention to this sector. In order to promote the tourism industry, the president established a Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication in 1988, and set a “Visit Indonesia Year 1990” program.

NATIONAL POLICY ON TOURISM
National policy on development of tourism is based on a long-term plan of development. During the last 32 years, a centralized development policy, including the tourism, was adopted. As a result, many provinces of Indonesia were not optimally and equally developed. The growth of tourism had been lower than that of neighboring countries in ASEAN, a surprising fact when taking into account the richness of Indonesia‘s “tourist attractions”.
Recent development shows increasing efforts by the central government to work together with the local government to identify, develop and promote potential tourist destinations other than Bali. Along with the increasing awareness of nature protections, which will attract special tourists to visit Indonesia, the government has also introduced regulations on environment which are related to the sector of tourism, such as: 1. The Decree of the Minister of the Environment, No. Kep-32A/MENLH/7/1995 regarding Proper Clean River Program (Prokasih);2. The Decree of the Minister of the Environment, No: Kep-52/MENLH/10/1995 on Standard Quality of Liquid Wastes for Hotel Operations; 3. The Decree of the Head of Environment Control Institution (BAPEDAL), No: Kep-32/BAPEDAL/05/1997 regarding Clean River Program, to require hotels to install liquid waste management unit;4. MOU between the Ministry of the Environment and Indonesian Association of Hotels and Restaurants, No: 02/MENLH/12/1995 concerning the Training and Monitoring of Environmental-friendly Hotels and Restaurants 5. Programs on Evaluating the Achievements of Business Entities in implementation of Clean River Program.
Implementations of those regulations include the effort to apply environmentally friendly standards for the operations of hotels in Indonesia. The government has planned to include hotels in point 5 above, which include the evaluation of environmental management with the use of rating through colored labels starting in 1998, as follows:

• Gold labels are given to hotels which have achieved the level of zero emission;

• Green labels are provided to hotels which have adopted clean technology or minimizing environmental impacts;

• Blue labels are produced for hotels which are abiding the current regulations on environmental control;

• Red label is for a hotel which has tried to adopt, but failed to meet the requirements of the regulations on environment;

• Black labels are for hotels that do not try to abide the regulations on environment, and even damaging the environment.
One effort of the government to prevent pollution is by providing incentives through the Program of Soft Loan for Environment from Overseas Economic Corporation Funds on Pollution Abatement Equipment. This program is designed to encourage the installation of pollution management units in some businesses of which the operations are potentially damaging the environment. The soft loan with a period of 3 to 20 years is expected to answer the problems of high cost of investments in waste processing units faced by domestic investors.

MORE ON TOURISM POLICIES and THEIR BENEFITS TO THE INDONESIAN ECONOMY
After several years, private tourism sectors as well as the government, realized that the development of tourism in this country is not only beneficial but has also its negative impact, such as: environmental degradation, economic gap between those related to the tourism business and those who are not, cultural degradation, etc. Massive development of high rise hotels, roads and infrastructures, along with changing use of the land, etc. for the purpose of tourism, have resulted the serious degradation of the environment. Some of these impacts will be described in the case studies.
As tourism developed, profit-seeking investors have come. Their fresh capital enabled them to own most of the resources, and eventually expel the local community from their own land. This left them with choices of either stay as farmers in less-fertile and smaller size of lands, or taking other jobs such as small merchants, providing services to the tourism activities, etc
As will be described in the case of Bali, the pressures of capital have affected not only Bali’s economy, but also its culture. Under the pressure of Indonesian NGOs, informal leaders, religious leaders and other concerned people, the government of Indonesia has started to change its policies on tourism. The government has put its best efforts in promoting people-centered tourism and ecologically friendly tourism.
Unlike the previous ones, the new policies provide more opportunities for the local people to participate in the tourism development. Under the "tourism build prosperity and peace" theme, the Government of Indonesia empowers small and medium scale entrepreneurs and cooperatives in tourism sector, encourages private--especially the small and medium ones, deregulates licensing process for eliminating high-cost economy, and implements community based tourism.
Environmentally friendly tourism, or eco-tourism, has been adopted in in the last five years. It, as a mater of fact, has not been a mainstream in the tourism development. Only some areas--consist of national parks, rivers, and forests--are designated to be used for eco-tourism. In developing eco-tourism. It is understood that eco-tourism should make requirements of nature and environmental protection the basis for touristic activities. Thus, it ensures its ecological sustainability.
TOURISM IN BALI ISLAND
Compared to the total area of Indonesia, Bali represents only 0.29%. Based on 1997’s data, the total population of Bali is about 3.3 million, with a population density of almost 585 person/sq.km. However, Bali ranks as the first in terms of popularity among tourist-destination areas in Indonesia. Tourism in Bali had started since 1926 with the exploitation of the unique Balinese cultural and natural beauty by the Dutch colonial government. The government of Indonesia started in 1960 with the building of the Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur and the Ngurah Rai international airport.
Bali is internationally known for its dances, temples, and beaches, which have long been recognized as main tourist attractions. In 1996 BaIi attracted a total number of around 3 million tourists, or about 30% of the total number of foreign tourists coming to Indonesia. The trend shows an escalating number over several years. The increase is supported by the infrastructures and facilities.: more than 25,000 hotel rooms of various qualities, international airport which can accommodate large airplanes, ports and more than about 500 thousands Balinese involved in tourism activities.
Despite the deterioration of Indonesian politics and economy, Bali is still perceived as a very safe and nice place to visit. Bali enjoys the ever increasing number of visitors whom each stays the average of 9 days, with an average spending of about USD 80 per day. Bali is indeed the only tourist destination in Indonesia that is still recommended by the government of Japan, USA, Australia and other European countries. Other areas in Indonesia still suffer significant drop due to the recession and partly to travel bans set by foreign countries. On the contrary, Balinese merchants, brokers, etc. have gained profit from the condition. Tourism industry in Bali still enables Balinese to sustain their consumptive lifestyle.
The development of tourism industry has played an important role in Bali’s economy due to its limited natural resources. An important indicator of the growth in revenue is the income per capita which has been increasing since 1994 of Rp. 2,22 million, Rp. 2,56 million (1995), and Rp. 2,95 million (1996), with several tourist destination areas as the highest per capita income.
An indirect impact from the growth is the relatively high population growth rate in these areas compared to other areas. The urbanization as well as migrant workers from other provinces have caused high growth rate of population which affect natural environment, social, economic and cultural life of the Balinese.
The tourism development plan of Bali is based on two regulations i.e.

(1) The Decree of the Governor of Bali No. 528 / 1993 regarding Tourism Area; (2) The Decree of the Local Government No. 4 / 1996 regarding Spatial Planning for the Province of Bali.The objectives of the above regulations are:

(1) To provide guidance for the optimum use of space at tourist destination areas, especially in less developed areas;

(2) To reduce the negative impacts of tourism activities on the sustainability of the environment
The strategies on the above are based on the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana that includes:

• Strategy of managing sanctuaries;

• Development of agricultural areas and regional infrastructures;

• Development of urban and other priority areas.
1. Social and Cultural Aside from its benefits, the growth of tourism in Bali has some negative impacts, particularly in the social and the cultural dimensions. The Balinese culture has changed due to commercial influences, people alienation from their own land, market orientation of artworks. Among them are: Tourism has created income opportunities. Unfortunately, young generations have failed to exercise religious and/or ethical values to generate income; Cases of young people involved in various types of prostitution are common in several popular tourist destination areas. There are street souvenir vendors who sell their merchandise in such ways that annoy the customers, while some others put very high price on the low quality merchandise. These will create the negative image of Bali as a safe and enjoyable tourist destination. Expecting more money, some local people who do not have necessary skills take shortcuts to wealth which, in most cases, are not morally acceptable. There are also cases where the local community has been alienated from their own village. The flow of investments on hotels along the beach has driven local community out of their lands and even beaches. Beaches are essential to the Balinese, for their religious believe to the Sang Hyang Widi Wasa. Land, sea, and mountain are perceived as one unity. As some beaches are converted into private areas, Balinese are alienated from their own values and can no longer perform their rituals.
Other main tourist attractions are dances, paintings and sculptures. These art forms have generated a lot of income from the rise of tourist visit to Bali. However, the products of these art forms have been adjusted according to the taste of the market. This resulted in popular market products rather than high quality of art itself. Sculptures, dances, and other art products are originally--for Balinese--for ritual and religious purposes. However, thanks to the market pressure, they are turned into commercial commodities.

2. Economic PerspectiveThe Tourism industry -- including transportation, hotel, hospitality, and travelling services -- is the biggest industry in Bali that provides quality employment opportunities for the Balinese, and is still one of the fastest growing sectors in the Island. Employment opportunities have been provided by small businesses especially in the home industry, supporting the tourism activities. Many of them are located in the urban areas. Considering the economic crises suffered by the country, it is projected that the growth of the industry in Bali will not exceed that of 1997/98.
Tourism industry is expected to contribute a major portion of GDP in foreign exchange, which is very much needed at this moment, and to provide 2.6 million, 2.8 million, and 3.4 million employment opportunities in 1996, 1997, and 1998 respectively. The figures above have shown the important role of tourism in Bali’s economy. Most of Balinese are economically depend on the tourism directly or indirectly. During the political riots in several major cities of Indonesia, considered as the safest place to stay, hotels in Bali were fully booked. The government of Bali also benefited from this situation, specifically from income tax and local retributions.Tourism industry has played an important factor to boost exports. Foreign tourists spend their foreign exchange directly by buying products of the visited country. About 14% of the total value of Indonesian export are generated from tourism. The transactions are directly between tourists and merchants. Another important impact of the tourism in Bali is that it generates a multiplying effect. The growth of tourism will enable other sectors such as construction and manufacturing to grow as well. In 1997, there were 61 new investments in tourist destination developments in Bali alone.
3. Environment PerspectiveThe increasing activities in tourism have resulted in some negative impacts on the environment, e.g.:

• Ground waterThe significant increase of water consumption for daily activities as well as for recreational purposes, such as swimming pools. Many hotels in Bali are forced to provide their own sources of clean water because the limited access to the local water companies (30% of the current needs). These hotels have turned into ground water extraction, amounting to about 46% of their needs, to supply their needs for clean water. The extensive use of ground water may decrease the ground water reserve in the long run, and induce the absorption of seawater (intrusion) even further.

• Liquid wastes Based on review done by the government on some hotels in Bali, about 63 % have installed a liquid waste management unit, while the rest still use the absorption methods. A conventional system on liquid waste management (absorption) has grown businesses for providing the service of hauling human wastes. Their service seems to solve the problem of liquid waste of the hotels. However, the lack of regulation on waste management, has excused the private haulers to pour liquid wastes directly into the sea and rivers. Thus creating a higher potential damage to the environment. The regulations also failed to set parameters on some factors, such as content of oil/fat, NO3-N, Phosphors, Faecal Colii, etc. in the ambient water.

• Solid wastes Most hotel operators in Bali are using private hauler in maintaining their solid wastes. These private haulers are responsible to collect, transport and dispose the wastes. Wastes from the hotel kitchen are often used to create compost and feed for pigs. Some hotels have also worked together with private sectors to recycle some wastes like papers, glass bottles, etc. There are also cases, however, of some irresponsible private haulers disposing the solid wastes in places other than the designed area, as seen in some parts of the coastal areas.

• Noise and fuel emissionAs there is a sharp increase of tourists coming to Bali, direct impacts including noise resulted from airplanes to and out of the province. Inland transportation within the province has resulted in pollution. There are also cases where some dwellings around hotel areas are affected by fuel gas emission that comes from incinerators and electric generators. • Eradication of Landscape and ecosystemLands conversion for tourism are common in Bali. A rocky hill which is rich of natural flora and fauna was “developed” into golf field; some others are cut to build boulevards and bungalows. This conversion leads to the extinction of Bali’s natural flora and fauna, such as the famous indigenous bird called Jalak Bali.For the last six years the production of wastes and garbage, as well as depletion of environment and its flora and fauna, from tourism related activities tend to increase up to 25% per annum. These, if not properly maintained, may pollute the environment especially in popular tourist areas and its surroundings. To handle such potential problems, Bali needs to improve its policies and control system regarding the environment management.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN LOMBOK ISLAND
1. Existing Conditions of Tourism Sector The Island of Lombok is located next to Bali. Lombok is currently considered as a very potential tourist destination area after Bali. It is part of the province of West Nusa Tenggara Barat. With a total population of 2.6 millions for the whole province, of which about 6 % is employed in tourism sectors, tourism activities has contributed an amount about US$ 106 millions, or about 25% of the local GDP. In 1997 a total number of about 200 thousands tourists originating from America, Europe, Asean, and Asia Pacific visited Lombok. As also in Bali, tourism activities in Lombok Island have created opportunities to generate income. Aside from hotels and restaurants, there are several art or souvenir shops introducing specific art products from West Nusa Tenggara which is quite different from that of the Balinese: hand-woven Ikat, clay works, pandan weavings, primitive wood sculptures, etc. With its unspoiled land and diversity of religious and cultural values, West Nusa Tenggara offers a unique natural as well as cultural attraction.

2. Policy and Strategy of Local GovernmentAs a tourism destination next to Bali, the local government has encouraged the involvement of private sector, community, and cooperative in developing tourism. This effort included the development of infrastructures to support the tourism, and, especially, the improvement of the quality and capability of the local work force.With properly planned actions, the government of NTB expected the growth of tourism to increase 15% per annum. This means about 500,000 employment, and about USD 115 millions generated annually at the end of 1998, from about 309,000 tourist.In an effort to develop tourism, the government of West Nusa Tenggara has established a joint venture company with the private sector called the Lombok Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC). The plan of this cooperation is to develop tourism facilities in a total area of 1,250 ha which consists of hotels, golf course, business center, and other tourism facilities. However, learning from tourism in Bali, the government will prevent negative impact from tourism activities. They have anticipated that problems like wastes, over investment, land acquisition, illegal buildings, environmental degradation, privatization of beaches which created less access for fishermen and public, as well as social and cultural impacts that may appear as the tourism developed. 3. Social Perspective Lombok has natural beauty that can be developed as tourism resort. As the island located near Bali-a major tourist destination, Lombok has the advantage to be the second tourist destination to catch the overflow of tourists from Bali. The provincial government of NTB understand very well the strategic position of Lombok and it includes tourism as a leading sector in the provincial development. Tourism in Lombok has provided 6.09% of total employment opportunity in that area. However, the number is much lower than the available graduates of tourism schools, as well as the expectations of the government to provide employment for local community around tourist destination areas. The development of tourism has also shifted employment opportunities from agricultural to tourism related activities.
Efforts, which have been done by the government, include facilitating training to improve the quality of local handicrafts in order to enable them to compete and to reach a much larger market share. The consideration of empowering the surrounding community is particularly important, because of the current gap between quality of local human resources compared to those from other parts of Indonesia. If left unanswered, this will lead to economic, and thus, social gap between the local community and migrants. However, negative impact of the development of tourism is not hard to see. More and more people have moved, either voluntarily or not, for the reason of developing tourist resorts such as the case of Ms.Inaq Ameneh of Gili Trawangan[1].
2. Economic Perspective
The natural resources of Lombok island has attracted a lot of investors--domestic as well as foreign ones--in establishing tourism related industries: hotels, resorts, travel agents, restaurants, etc. Based on data collected, there are domestic investments amounting to Rp. 362 billion and foreign investments amounting to USD 2.57 million in hotels, restaurants, etc. It is also expected that these investments could lead to other activities beneficial to the local community surrounding them. The multiplying effect of the growing tourism sector has been expected to happen in Lombok.3. Environment Perspective The local government of West Nusa Tenggara has taken some preventive measures based on the negative experience of Bali, such as the degradation of quality and quantity of natural resources, as well as the impacts on the local community. However, with a current economic condition of the area (i.e. population of almost 4 million, income per capita of Rp. 1.8 million--less than 55% of its neighboring Bali--and limited amount of local revenue of the government), it seems that the government of West Nusa Tenggara is facing a difficult choice between maintaining the quality of the land and a fast way to increase economic conditions of the region. Stringent regulations on investments will create the impression of West Nusa Tenggara as an unattractive investment area, especially in a worsening condition of Indonesia in foreign investor’s view.One example is the opening of a gold mine in Sumbawa. A foreign joint venture called Newmont has recently established its open mining area there. With an increase of expatriates in the project, it is expected to boost local economic activities (including tourism) as well as employment opportunities for the local community. The available jobs for local community is mostly for the unskilled ones, although in quite a big number. The open mining system, however, is considered as degrading the quality of land.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
In Indonesia, ecotourism has not been a mainstream. Although, some efforts in promoting it are flourishing. The efforts, considering the current Indonesian situation is harder now. The country suffers bad publication due to the prevalences of riots, loots and ethnic conflicts.
According to Hermawan Kertajaya, the President of Asia Pacific Marketing Federation, Cohort 1- Indonesia: as a product in tourism business, Indonesia needs repositioning to promote its positive brand equity and good image. The positioning of Indonesia has to be directed to the objectives to achieve ‘New Era’ of Indonesia which is the process of transformation from corruption, collusion, and nepotism to the era of clean, transparent, and professionalism. This issue should be born in tourism actor’s mind and activities. This is a priority beside the needs to develop of many tourism facilities and infrastructures. In parallel with the effort to reposition Indonesia’s image, it also needs to pay more attention to all potential risks which may arise, and will cause negative impacts on the important elements such as social, economy, and environment. The development of tourism should also be directed to achieve sustainable tourism.
In social perspectives, the need is to minimize the negative influences of tourism activities in social life of local people who live near or at the tourism area in order to preserve culture and tradition for the future. In economy, more attention should be paid to the need, ability, skills and characters of local people, so that they can be actively involved and can get the benefit from the tourism. The development should increase their quality of life, and not otherwise.
Tourism in Indonesia is the activity of selling the beauty of nature and the unique culture of Indonesia. To achieve the sustainable tourism, Indonesia needs to protect the environment from tourism activities. This must be in our behavior – both of Indonesians and tourists.
As Indonesia currently faces an urgent need of foreign exchange, while local products have not reached competitive advantage, tourism is playing an important role. Tourism is very much depend on infrastructures as well as safety of the destination. Unstable economic and political condition that Indonesia is experiencing is not a favourable condition for Indonesia to compete over tourists visiting the region. Unless a lot of money are allocated to promote Indonesia, it is very difficult for Indonesia to regain its popularity. Ambitious plans and projections would be very unrealistic with a very limited amount of funds available.
At time of very low foreign tourists such as this, it is important for Indonesia – the government and private sectors in tourism – to evaluate all negative damages of tourism in the past and develop measures and activities to increase the quality of all aspects of things to offer to support tourism. These include the services as well as the products to be sold of which natural beauty plays a very important role.

Source:http://www.mindrelief.net
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[1] In the early 1970s Ms Ameneh developed a simple resort for tourism consisted 21 cottages and 2 souvenier shops. This business was run by Ms. Ameneh and her local fellow of Lombok. As the areas grow fast, a big business stepped in and throw Ms. Ameneh and her simple cottages out of the region. The government, unluckily, stood behinds the big business and declared that Ms. Ameneh constructed cottages at illegal lands. The simple cottages eventually was demolished by government buldozers.

Manyallaluk, The Dreaming Place

2007-06-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

Australia

LocationManyallaluk (pronounced Man-yalla-look) is an Aboriginal community with a population of 150 people situated on two thousand square kilometres of land, one hundred kilometres east of the town of Katherine, in the Northern Territory, Australia. The land borders Arnhem Land, and Nitmiluk and Kakadu National Parks. Much of it is rugged and stony. Tourism in Manyallaluk is promoted by a community-owned-and-operated Aboriginal, cultural tour organization that runs one and two day tours throughout the year. The enterprise also manages an onsite camping ground and a 16-unit, powered-site, caravan park. In addition, the community-owned shop sells artifacts made by the local people, as well as basic goods to the tourists. Most visitors to Manyallaluk come via Darwin. From Darwin south to Katherine by car takes a little more than three hours, over a distance of 310 kilometers. Tour companies arrange for transport from Katherine to Manyallaluk, or you may drive your own vehicle.

Aboriginal guides take visitors through the outback to explore secluded pools, rock art and unique flora and fauna.

Historical Background

In 1985 the Jawoyn Association was formed to represent the interests of the Jawoyn people. The Association was keen to establish business enterprises on Jawoyn-owned land in order to provide employment for local Aboriginal people and minimize their dependency on government funding. In 1988 the Jawoyn Association established Jawaluk Pty Ltd. to develop an Aboriginal-run cultural tourism venture in the area. In 1990, Jawaluk approached Terra Safari Tours, a Darwin-based mainstream tour company, to assist with the development of a tour enterprise at Eva Valley and the training of local people to eventually run the enterprise themselves. In 1990, the year before tourism actually started, there were fewer than 50 people living in the community, and there was no formal work. The quality of the housing was poor and there was no electricity or telephones. In fact, the people had to travel 35 kilometres to Barunga, or even further to Katherine, for shopping and health care. At that time all funding for Eva Valley was administered through the Barunga Community Council, and a 1990 Northern Building Consultant's report described the community as "typical of a remote area ‘minor’ Community, where the provision of services, facilities, housing and infrastructure are provided on an adhoc annual funding basis with little knowledge of the intentions and aspirations of local people and little evidence of forward planning.”

Learning to paint with traditional ochres.

Recent Development

Tourism development at Manyallaluk has focused on sharing the local Aboriginal culture with short-stay visitors. Specific programming has emphasised the "tour". The one-day tour was introduced in 1991, followed by the two-day tour in 1994. As well, from 1992 until 1995, a four-day tour was offered, and in 1996 there was a short experiment with a five-day tour. The current focus emphasizes expanding and consolidating the one and two-day programming. As the Manyallaluk tours developed, it became necessary to construct and upgrade the tourist infrastructure. Roads were improved, tourist accommodation and a toilet and shower block built, an office and shop building constructed, walking paths established and landscaping completed. The cost of these improvements was considerable and only possible through government funding, although much of the actual work was carried out by the local community under the Community Development Enterprise Program (CDEP). New vehicles were also purchased for transporting tourists to and from Katherine, and for taking them to the bush camp on the two day tour. During the first years of operation the majority of tourists visiting Manyallaluk came through an external organization, Terra Safari Tours. While this was a good beginning, revenues were small and it was clear that the challenge for Manyallaluk would be to promote its own tours and increase the number of independent tourists booking directly with Manyallaluk. By 1994, Manyallaluk was having 40,000 brochures printed and distributed annually by a Darwin-based marketing company. As well, the manager and one of the guides regularly attended trade shows in Darwin and Sydney. In 1994, 1995, and 1996, Manyallaluk won several tourism awards for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism and for Cultural and Heritage Tourism. In 1996 it won its third national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism award, placing it in the Hall of Fame.

Learning traditional pandanus weaving techniques.

Community Development Milestones

The tour enterprise manager and the Manyallaluk Community Council are responsible for ensuring that the community benefits directly from the enterprise, and that there is an appropriate balance between culture and commerce. Importantly, the community population has tripled since tourism began and people have moved from elsewhere to join family members at Manyallaluk because they have heard that Manyallaluk is "a good place to live". Some of the achievements that have contributed to this positive image and community development include the 1993 alcohol ban. It was in this year that the Manyallaluk Community Council decided to become a ‘dry’ community and alcohol was prohibited for everyone, tourists included. This has made the community a healthier and more peaceful place to live. Further, in 1993, Manyallaluk formed its own Aboriginal Corporation and took over the management of the tourism operation from the Jawoyn Association - a major step towards community self determination. The Manyallaluk tourism enterprise is now completely owned and controlled by the Manyallaluk Aboriginal Corporation.

The Tourism Experience

The one-day tour is the core tourist experience at Manyallaluk. It also provides the platform for the first day of the two-day tour. The tour is run by a group of men and women guides and provides tourists with plenty of opportunity for informal interaction. During the morning of the one-day tour, tourists are taken on a bush walk where they are shown bush tucker and bush medicines, told about the cultural significance of the local plants, taught their Aboriginal language names, and given details on how the plants are collected, prepared and used. After a barbecue lunch of kangaroo and beef, along with salads and home-made damper, tourists are given a 'hands on' introduction to traditional skills, including spear throwing, basket making, fire making, painting, and playing the didgeridoo. At the end of the day, tourists on the two day tour travel in a four-wheel drive vehicle to a bush camp, in a picturesque setting next to a large waterhole. They spend the second day in the company of an Aboriginal guide walking in the bush and viewing rock art sites in the area. These sites connect with the large number of rock art sites located along the rocky escarpments throughout Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land.

The Market

Manyallaluk is accessible all year with an ordinary two-wheel drive vehicle. This gives it a great advantage since most remotely-situated Aboriginal tour enterprises in the Northern Territory are not accessible by self-drive vehicles. Approximately 1,750 tourists visit Manyallaluk each year, with more than 80 percent of them taking the one-day tour. Over 65 per cent are international tourists with the three main markets being the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany. More than 85 per cent of the visitors travel independently, while just 14 per cent are part of an organized tour group.

Community Participation and CDEP

The tour enterprise is the focus of the Manyallaluk CDEP program. Often as many as 20 people are working as guides and up to 50 are employed full or part-time through CDEP. Other CDEP jobs include mechanical, building and maintenance work, horticultural jobs, and work in the office and shop. Those who do not work directly with tourists support the enterprise by keeping equipment maintained and making Manyallaluk an attractive place to visit. The community has a 'no work, no pay' policy, and the pay structure rewards commitment and seniority through the top-up of wages from tourism income. Manuel Pamkal, one of the guides at Manyallaluk, links tourism and work opportunities to an improved lifestyle at Manyallaluk. "People want to stay here and work. [Manyallaluk has a] restricted area for alcohol. [In] other places they're drinking much and fighting too much. We've got lots of jobs.....garbage run, creche, multi-purpose centre, buffalo catching, mud brick machine to make own house, fencing. Tourism is a really big one for us." Women have played a major role in the development of the Manyallaluk tour enterprise and CDEP wages mean that some families now enjoy two incomes. There is a creche for women with young children, and older children now attend school each day at Barunga. Several women have completed child care courses, and some women have passed their driving tests, something that significantly affects their opportunities. There are new opportunities for young people as well, and several young men and women have become trainee guides. Though some young people may still experience difficulties, this future does hold potential for paid employment and parents are active role models in this regard. All this represents a major change in less than a decade.

Economic benefits

Visitor numbers continue to grow, though income from tourism has risen more rapidly because Manyallaluk is less dependent on outside tour operators. Currently, 75 percent of all tourists visiting Manyallaluk make direct bookings. This has drastically reduced commissions paid to external operators.. Before the growth of tourism, there was no local store at Manyallaluk. Consequently any money local people had was spent outside the community. Now residents shop at the community-owned store, and profits have been used to build a cool room and purchase other equipment for the community. Income from the sale of artifacts produced by residents has also increased dramatically since tourists started coming to Manyallaluk. In 1995 the shop earned AU$13,000 gross on the sale of artifacts alone. Only permanent residents of the community are eligible for membership in the Manyallaluk Aboriginal Corporation and to participate in community decision-making. This means that all benefits from the tourism business accrue directly to the local community. Also, no individuals, inside or outside the community, are paid dividends from the profits of the tourism enterprise.

Promoting Local Culture and Traditional Heritage

The development of tourism at Manyallaluk has provided new opportunities for the promotion and practice of aboriginal culture and generated new interest in the display and interpretation of heritage. Specifically, tourism has helped strengthen regional identity. Typically tourists know very little about the regional differences of the native peoples, and international tourists, in particular, think that all Aboriginal people have boomerangs, or didgeridoos. The tours at Manyallaluk teach tourists about the distinctive regional culture shared by the people of Arnhem land. Tourism has also strengthened traditional skills. Before the development of tourism, people lived at Manyallaluk in order to access the plentiful supply of natural resources. The residents were keen hunters and foragers, and at least one of the older men reportedly still used a spear, as well as a gun. When tourism began to develop, many of these men and women became guides and began teaching their skills to tourists. Now, the older people are passing their skills on to the young people, some of whom have spent most of their lives living in towns rather than the bush. Tourism has enabled community members to practice their skills to the point where several of the guides have recently won art and spear throwing competitions at the annual Barunga festival, one of the largest indigenous festivals in Australia. Tourism has also had a direct effect on language and art. Often, tourists are keen to hear Aboriginal languages and learn a few words. The guides at Manyallaluk teach the tourists about the community languages and also about Kriol, the local Aboriginal English. Younger members of the community who knew very little of the language are now learning it so they can work with the tourists. There are 200 art sites on Manyallaluk, many of them not yet recorded. Since tourism started, guides have a greater opportunity to visit country away from the community and take an active custodial role over the sites. In addition to this, several of the guides are skilled story tellers and their role includes telling tourists some of the regional stories from the “Dreaming”. Younger guides are now learning to tell those stories.

Environmental Sustainability

The Manyallaluk area is quite large, and tourists are only permitted to visit a very small portion. That means with careful management and by regularly changing routes and sites, the community is able to minimize environmental impact. Also, tourists must always be accompanied by a guide when away from the tourist area. This reduces the possibility of damage to sites of specific significance, and to the landscape more generally. Several of the guides have lived at Manyallaluk all of their lives and are always on the lookout for the smallest changes. The guides are careful to monitor the use of natural resources. The pandanus used for weaving, and other raw materials growing near the community, are used with tourists, while community members travel further away to collect raw materials for their own use. Similarly, kangaroo meat for the tourists' lunch is bought at the butcher shop in Katherine, while community members hunt for themselves on Manyallaluk land. Consistent efforts are made to manage the community and tourist areas from an environmental perspective. Since 1991 many trees have been planted and the area has been generally cleaned up. Hot water is heated using solar panels and, where possible, materials are recycled. Even the cardboard boxes from the shop are used as mulch under trees.

Social Sustainability

The Manyallaluk community is developing a tourist enterprise to provide long-term economic independence and self-determination for its people. Each stage in the development of the tourist enterprise is discussed by the community as a whole. The tourism manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation, but strategic decisions are made through the elected council. As a result, the pace and style of development is controlled, ensuring its overall sustainability. The community area is separate and out of sight from the tourist area, and tourists are not permitted to visit it. This ensures community privacy and allows guides to go home and relax at the end of the day without being permanently on display. The community council has also decided there will be no photography of the community homes. Manyallaluk has developed an innovative work structure which has been one of the keys to the success of the enterprise. Guides work in two groups, which are basically two extended families. Each group works seven days on and then has seven days off. This gives the guides time to maintain family responsibilities and engage in other activities, such as shopping, hunting and artifact production. These groups are also large enough to allow the guides to adhere to the cultural rules governing kin relationships and speech avoidance, where, in some instances, family members are not permitted to name each other, speak directly to each other, or be alone together. The development and operation of tourism at Manyallaluk is, of course, not without challenges. As mentioned earlier, two of the Manyallaluk tour products were withdrawn from the market. Determining what tourists want, and what the community is able to provide while retaining its internal priorities is always challenging. In addition, it is difficult to fill all management positions because numeracy and literacy skills are generally low. At this stage Manyallaluk continues to employ non-Aboriginals in certain training and management roles.

Lessons Learned

In community-based cultural tourism, it is necessary to have a core group of guides or interpreters who really do enjoy working with tourists. In Australia, it is important to recognize that not all Aboriginals want to, or are are suited to, work as tour guides. The development of a core group of guides is critical to success at Manyallaluk, and generally at many community-based tourism programs.

In addition, ensuring the security of the natural environment, plus the re-development of cultural heritage, is critical for the development of the industry. Comments from recent visitors attest to the important elements of the experience.

This has been the most exciting stay of our Australian tour with a lot of exciting experiences and traveling with a lot of friendly and smiling locals. Many thanks. Alie and Allan Andersen, Denmark

I learned so much and it was a privilege to meet you good people. May the world learn from your wise ways of taking care of our planet.

Estell Field, U.S.A.

This was the most interesting day I've spent in Australia so far. Our hosts were very kind and informative. I feel privileged to learn about Aboriginal culture as it is such a natural way of life in harmony with the environment.

Caroline Buckley, London, United Kingdom

Contact:

Nick De Candilo

Manager

Manyallaluk Aboriginal Cultural Tours

PMB 134

Katherine, Northern Territory,

Australia, 0851

61 8 8975-4727 (Phone)

61 8 8975-4724 (Fax)http://www.tourism.gov.au/publications/talent/manyallaluk.html

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Source:http://www.community-tourism.org

The Dwellingup Forest Heritage Centre

2007-06-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

Australia

The small town of Dwellingup is located just east of Pinjarra in southwest Australia. It is approximately 100 kilometres, or just over a one hour drive, southeast of Perth. As Perth is the state capital of Western Australia, the area is a key destination for tourists. The road leading into the Dwellingup township runs along the top of an escarpment allowing for excellent views of the Indian Ocean and Peel Inlet.Dwellingup was first established as a mill town in the late 19th century. However, a bush fire in the early 1960's destroyed virtually all the original wooden structures except for the Dwellingup Hotel. Access to the town itself is by car or via the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway which runs a steam engine between Pinjarra and Dwellingup.Quite close to Dwellingup is Lane Poole Reserve, a forest recreation area which attracts more than 250,000 visitors per year. Dwellingup itself is nestled in a valley surrounded by a native jarrah hardwood forest. This prime location, near the Murray River, was a traditional Aboriginal camping place long before European settlement. In fact, the Aboriginal meaning of Dwellingup is “place nearby water”.Dwellingup’s Forest Heritage Centre is the outgrowth of a unique partnership between the Fine Wood Industry and the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM), with sponsorship from numerous State, Commonwealth and private agencies. Community-based, the Centre is managed by an independent board operating as a not-for-profit venture.The mission of the Centre is to increase awareness and understanding of how Western Australia's forest heritage can be conserved, managed and used most effectively for sustainability and, ultimately, the benefit of the citizens living within this region. The Forest Heritage Centre presents an excellent example of the integration of forest industries and forest conservation in an applied educational model of forest use and management as it is currently developing in regional Australia. The focus is on long-term sustainable forest management in order to involve and benefit the communities in this area. Dwellingup is now reaching out to attract more tourists to the region. The goal is to bring increased revenue to the area, and provide more opportunities for local employment through direct and indirect participation in the tourism industry. Many community members are employed directly at the Centre, while many others work in related ventures. Increasing numbers are developing microenterprise ventures, such as local arts and crafts activities, as the tourism industry expands. Catering services for visitors are supplied by several small businesses in Dwellingup.

The Heritage Centre takes the shape of a giant jarrah bough.

History and Development

With the establishment of the rail link from Pinjarra in the late 19th century, Dwellingup became a regional centre and community base for forest activity. It has remained so. This location was at the edge of the first State Flora and Fauna reserve, which, at 160,000 acres, was the largest at that time anywhere in Australia.In 1928, the establishment of the first Forest Department office in the town of Dwellingup brought a new era of forest management, where timber cutting was soon based on regeneration and sustainable yields. In 1952, Dwellingup became the community site for the State’s Forestry Cadet School. The inclusion of this school within the Dwellingup community linked the local community directly to a philosophy and policy of forest management and conservation, a connection that has continued and blossomed to this day. Though the school closed in 1991, the Forest Heritage Centre maintains this facility for tertiary training programs and on-the-job training, still community-based. Overall, the legacy of this training is evident in the community values and attitudes.

A canopy walk allows visitors to experience the forest from tree-top level.

GoalsThe Forest Heritage Centre offers people from all walks of life opportunities to pursue activities that will enhance their skills and understanding of the forest and its natural and cultural heritage. This includes demonstration forests and public interest programs focusing on ecotourism and outdoor recreation; forest heritage through its collections and interactive exhibition; displays of timber production processes; crafting of fine wood products; and forest industry training programs. Programming consists of residential and day-long experiences, as well as field studies and research-based activities. Most programming is led by Dwellingup area residents.During the past four years, public participation, including local, regional and international visitors, has increased substantially. This has fostered a greater understanding and appreciation of sustainable, multiple use forest management, and the value and importance of conservation. It has also provided a venue for the display of fine wood crafts, which has encouraged practical skill development within the local community, an area of high unemployment that is often subject to structural adjustment by the timber industry. In essence, the community is using its primary, natural resource in a sustainable manner to attract, educate and benefit from increasing tourist visitation. The Forest Heritage Centre was developed through funding from the Federal Forest Ecotourism Program by means of the 1992 National Forest Policy Statement (NFPS). The NFPS vision encouraged the management of Australia's forests in an ecologically-sustainable manner for a range of uses, including tourism, recreation and production of non-wood products. Dwellingup was a natural choice to profile and promote this vision, attracting tourists in a manner that would involve and benefit the local community.

A jarrah writing desk with ebony inlay.

Design and Access

The Heritage Centre was built in the shape of a giant jarrah bough, and the resulting complex is beautifully integrated within the surrounding forest. Three, leaf-shaped, rammed-earth buildings extend from a welcoming, stem-like foyer, with the largest, central “leaf” housing the School of Wood — a facility for demonstration and training in the art of fine wood processing and quality furniture design and production. The smaller "leaf", extending to the west, provides a gallery for exhibition and sale of fine wood products, and the "leaf" to the east introduces the visitor to the ecology of the jarrah forest, offering interactive displays as a prelude to several interpretive walks. The wheelchair-accessible 400 metre Heritage Centre walk takes visitors through a cross section of the jarrah forest. Starting from the east leaf, the first phase of the walk simulates what is happening beneath the forest floor. A rammed-earth wall depicts the soil structure of the forest and the complex root system of the trees. A stroll through the forest at ground level allows the visitor to appreciate and understand the natural effects of water and fire. An alternative biodiversity loop offers seasonal information on the plants and animals of the forest system, and, finally, a short canopy walk takes visitors up to the tree tops, for an aerial perspective on the forest system. Along the canopy walk, visitors also get a bird's eye view of the craftspeople at work in the School of Wood, a clear enticement to visit this area once the walk is finished. ALCOA, a local subsidiary of an aluminum producing company, and CALM are planning to develop a unique, underground tunnel or walking trail in the jarrah forest thatwill interpret the 30 per cent of forest life that lives below the soil surface. This project will complement the existing Centre and will be directly integrated as a natural attraction, managed and maintained on site at the Forest Heritage Centre. The Western Australian Tourism Commission is particularly supportive of the tunnel walk project proposed by CALM and ALCOA. Projects of this type have direct and lasting community benefits, and they are vital for the future development of tourism in the region. The Commission further believes that this Centre, with its high level of community involvement coupled with corporate support, will continue to develop as one of the premier tourist destination for Western Australia. A five year business plan anticipates that the Forest Heritage Centre will cater to an estimated 75,000 visitors each year. In 1996, approximately 560,000 visitors were attracted to the region, injecting nearly AU$50 million into the economy, an increase of AU$4 million from the previous year.

The School of Wood nurtures skills in furniture design and production.

Direct Community Involvement

The Dwellingup community, through the Forest Heritage Centre, the Dwellingup History and Visitor Information Centre, and with the support of the Department of Conservation and Land Management, and the Dwellingup Business Association, hosts the annual Forest Heritage Festival. This week-long celebration is set within the jarrah forest, and includes demonstrations in papermaking, floral art, spinning, carving, story-telling and bushwalks. There are also fine wood exhibitions, mill tours and steam train adventures. Visitors to the area during the festival increases by more than 15,000 people, generating significant benefits to the local economy.The School of Wood, which operates from the Centre, provides opportunities for community-based wood artisans to develop their craft skills and for local tourism operators to expand their business opportunities. Increasingly, small businesses and microenterprises benefit from the activities of the Centre. These include opportunities created by the flow of new visitors and through the training offered.On-site accommodation is available at the former Forest Cadet School, renamed the Jarrah Forest Lodge, now catering for up to 32 people. Though relatively small, the intimacy complements the overall forest experience. The site is also available for national and international conferences and for use by a variety of other organizations, including educational institutions, government departments, community groups and tourists. The local community not only plays a direct role in managing and operating the Centre, but, in addition, many residents use the gallery facilities to launch, display and sell their work.Jeanette Morgan, a well known, local artisan, skilled in the art of silk printing has seen her sales increase dramatically with the Centre’s development. Jeanette often visits as the Centre, surrounding township and forest environment provides never ending inspiration for her creativity. She says, “the Centre is an exciting place which exhibits such a wonderful ambience for both the artists and of course visiting tourists.”Gunnar Hornum, a board member representing the local community, describes the Centre as “an integral part linking the local community with its forest environment and heritage while providing economic benefits to the region. The Centre provides exciting opportunities for the future well being of Dwellingup through the establishment of some excellent partnerships.”Dorothy Seeman, a student of the School of Wood, says “the Centre is unique in being able to offer people like me the opportunity to learn and develop the necessary skills essential for the crafting of fine wood products. Visiting tourists appreciate our work and hopefully become future customers.”

The Future

As the Centre's literature explains, forests are complex, dynamic ecosystems, nowadays managed to maintain what has been described as the most important heritage of all: the ecological processes that sustain the forest. The forest has been in continuous use for almost 150 years and has been subject to heavy commercial demand since the turn of the century. Regardless, the future has never looked brighter, for the forest or the community!The success of this project can be summed up in one word - relationships. The achievements to date of the Forest Heritage Centre, and the ongoing development of its very significant potential, are for the most part a result of the excellent relationships between the partners. At the heart of the activity is the community, and working with the community, and with each other, are the fine wood industry, the forest resources industry, the tourism industry, the mining industry, and the Department of Conservation and Land Management. Any project that sets out to increase awareness and understanding of how forests and forest heritage can be effectively conserved, managed and utilized will only achieve its full potential if all the partners who have an interest and who bring value-added benefits are actively involved. In effect, this project blends community involvement and tourism under the environmental umbrella.

Contact:

Ron KawalilakDirector,

Strategic Development and Corporate Affairs Department of Conservation and Land Management

Locked Bag 104

Bentley Delivery Centre,

Western Australia, Australia, 6983

61 8 9389-8644 (Phone)

61 8 9389-8296 (Fax)

ronk@calm.wa.gov.au

___________________________________

Source:http://www.community-tourism.org

The Character of Community-Based Tourism

2007-06-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

Introduction

Tourism Influence and Growth
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) describes travel and tourism as the world’s largest industry, generating more than US$4.4 trillion in economic activity and in 1998 supporting 231 million jobs,directly and indirectly, around the globe. Also, it’s predicted that this industry will grow to US$10 trillion in total demand and 328 million jobs by 2010 (see The Economic Impact of Travel and Tourism Development in the APEC Region at the WTTC site – http://www.wttc.org).

The influence of travel and tourism is expanding rapidly as more people, experiencing growth indisposable incomes and influenced by globalization trends, travel both domestically and internationally. According to the WTTC,within the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum membership, total demand related to travel and tourism has exceeded US$2 trillion. In 1998 it was estimated that the industry employed almost 90 million people. One in every 12.8 jobs within APEC member economies is believed to be directly or indirectly related to travel and tourism.

The gross economic benefits related to travel and tourism are clear and measurable. But the importance and influence of travel and tourism go far beyond simple revenues and job creation. Travel and tourism, perhaps more than any other industry, creates a wealth of opportunities and challenges, particularly at the community level.

The Community Tourism Industry
The influence of travel and tourism on a community is significant. Most obviously, tourists bring revenue. However, how this revenue is attracted and the number of people who reap the benefits vary greatly. So does the way the money is spent and how it is reinvested. At one extreme, large scale, all-inclusive resorts owned and operated by corporations may have little or no economic influence on a community. Tourists may be flown in, bused to the site, kept “secure” behind patrolled fences, and in some cases given neither the encouragement nor opportunity to spend time or money beyond the borders of the resort. People from the community may be offered only low-skilled minimum wage jobs. In these extreme cases, tourism becomes a highly sanitized, in-resort experience. The influence of this type of resort on the community is minimal. In effect, there are tourists, but no tourism industry.

At the other end of the continuum, communities, including various individuals and groups, small business owners, entrepreneurs, local associations and government officials are developing local tourism in innovative ways. The community tourism industry is, quite simply, the collection of businesses that creates and sells a variety of goods and services to visitors. The development of these industries is a growing phenomenon as communities respond to the opportunities, and in some cases the threats, of tourism.

Community-based tourism typically subscribes to a number of broadly defined goals. Perhaps most important, community-based tourism is socially sustainable.This means the tourism activities are developed and operated, for the most part, by local community members, and certainly with their consent and support. This is not to suggest that there aren’t dissenting views on tourism development when carried out at the local level, but it does imply that there is a forum for debate, and that the community encourages participation. It’s also important that a reasonable share of the revenues are enjoyed by the community in one way or another. This may include revenue streams which go to co-ops, joint ventures, community associations, businesses that widely employ local people, or to a range of entrepreneurs starting or operating small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Another important feature of community-based tourism is its respect for local culture, heritage and traditions. Often, community-based tourism actually reinforces and sometimes rescues these. Similarly, community-based tourism implies respect and concern for the natural heritage, particularly where the environment is one of the attractions.

Community-based tourism projects develop in a number of ways, and the structure, goals and themes represent different environments, growth patterns, cultural values and stages of development. The continuum with the private and fully-enclosed resort on one end, and the completely integrated community-based activity on the other, represents an idealistic notion. It would be difficult to find a tourism program where there is absolutely no local influence, just as it would be impossible to find an example of community-based tourism where there is unanimity internally and externally regarding the achievement and distribution of benefits. Taken in an international context, the variety of cultures and environments worldwide ensure that the implementation and outcomes of community-based tourism will be different, just as communities are different.

Recurring Themes
Regardless of differences, a brief survey of some of the best examples among members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum has identified recurring themes in the context of community-based tourism. First among these is the impetus for the development of community-based tourism. Not surprisingly, this is most often related to the expectation for economic gain, which in turn is often, although not always, related to need.

Communities suffering economic hardship often have the necessary drive to actively consider development options, and an appealing opportunity is the potential offered by tourism. Chemainus, on Canada’s west coast, is such an example. The town’s early history was tied to its forests and the associated industries. However, resource industries, particularly in western Canada and the U.S., are boom and bust activities, and they are extremely competitive. When the forest industry was in decline during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Chemainus appeared to be on the brink of economic disaster. The town, led by the Mayor, began searching for options, at which point Karl Schutz, a successful immigrant to the area, suggested that tourists would be drawn to large-scale outdoor murals. Now, Chemainus is known as the “mural town,” and is one of Canada’s biggest success stories in community-based tourism.

Desa Murni is another example of this theme. Located just 90 minutes north of Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur, this area is economically challenged. However, local people worked together to create a homestay program and the results have had a dramatic effect on the local economy. Manyallaluk, the Aboriginal community south of Darwin, Australia, and Sandpoint, Idaho, in the U.S., are similar examples. In one way or another, participants worked together in order to attract tourists and deliver economic benefits to the community.

Another theme is that of leadership. Often the development of community-based tourism can be linked to the initial spark and leadership of one person or a small group. Fostering change and development on a community-wide scale is not easy. It requires someone with vision, imagination, and great energy. At Desa Murni, for example, a former school teacher by the name of Sahariman Hamdan took his dream and made it a reality by selling the community on it one homestay house at a time. Desa Murni has few outstanding physical attractions. Its program is based almost entirely on genuine hospitality. Sahariman is a modest man, unwilling to take much credit. However, it is difficult to imagine that without someone like him there would be a homestay program as effective and as beneficial to the community as the one that exists at Desa Murni today. Other examples of this leadership theme include the work of Milo Shantz, the visionary behind the development of St. Jacobs in Canada, a regional tourism destination, and Lin Kuo-long's redevelopment of the Shui-Li Snake Kiln in Nantou Country, Central Taipei.

In other cases, local and regional governments have provided leadership to develop or expand community-based tourism. For example, the tourism development in the Yulong Snow Mountain region in southwestern China was promoted through an Administrative Committee. Although provincial in nature, this committee worked with strong representation from the city of Lijiang. Sai Kung, a pretty little seaport village in Hong Kong, China, was developed with the support of a very active District Council which, in turn, worked and continues to work hand-in-hand with the central Hong Kong, China Government. Although there are some economic, social and political environments where the development of community-based tourism appears somewhat spontaneously, other areas of the world are more appropriately influenced by direction and support from a regional or central authority. Regardless, the outcomes for communities can be considerable.

The role of governments, local or regional, is also felt in other ways within the community-based tourism context. Although tourism within Singapore’s Little India has evolved almost naturally, government has played a key role in encouraging the preservation and conservation of the built heritage. Little India is not, however, unique in this regard. The theme is also seen in Korea’s Songup Folk Village, where the government through a variety of measures is encouraging the preservation and restoration of traditional architecture. In St. Jacobs, Canada, a private sector firm exerts pressure for uniformity in streetscapes, operating hours and the like.

Cultural heritage is one of the most important facets of community-based tourism. What do communities have that tourists find attractive? For many communities it is their culture and heritage. Visitors to Australia’s Manyallaluk community are attracted primarily for the opportunity to interact with Aboriginals and learn something of their life and culture. True, the natural environment is also an attractive feature, but the fact remains that similar environments can be experienced without the guides from Manyallaluk. New Zealand’s Tamaki Maori Village is similar. It represents an opportunity to experience elements of Maori life. Taiwan Folk Village in Chinese Taipei and Villa Escudero in the Philippines are comparable, except in these cases most of the tourists are learning about their own heritage. In fact, there is tremendous growth occurring in “cultural tourism”, as people travel locally and internationally to experience a small piece of either their own or someone else’s cultural heritage. Community-based tourism is replete with examples of community heritage and values being revitalized through the growth in tourism. See, for example, Korea’s Songup Folk Village and Chinese Taipei’s Shui-Li Snake Kiln Park.

The natural environment is also a key theme for many community-based tourism activities. El Nido in the Philippines, Umphang District in Thailand, Sandpoint, Idaho in the U.S., Dwellingup in Australia, and the Huangshan Mountains and Yulong Snow Mountain area in the People’s Republic of China are excellent examples of cases where communities benefit from the influx of tourists drawn to the environmental experience. As with heritage and culture, the influx of tourists has in many cases actually increased environmental protection and conservation. Local communities have come to recognize that, should the environment suffer, so will the revenues from tourists. Although there is natural friction between tourists and the environment, there are benefits to be reaped for the natural environment through planned, community-based tourism.

Another theme linked to the development of community-based tourism is the growth of employment opportunities, particularly for women, young people and aboriginals. For many people in societies throughout the world, the opportunity to earn money doesn’t come easily. Entrepreneurs of all sorts, including business people, artists, educators, and others who present or exemplify their culture and crafts, develop rapidly within the vicinity of any community-based tourism project, giving birth to all sorts of jobs and job opportunities.

Finally, it is interesting to note that somewhere in the continuum stretching from the large corporate-owned resort to the small community-based activities,there are cases where corporations and communities work hand-in-hand to develop tourism and share in the benefits. El Nido in the Philippines is one example where a large corporation demonstrated commitment to community participation and shared benefits during the tourism development process. Specifically, Ten Knots Corporation seeded an entrepreneurial spirit within the El Nido community. It provided support for the development and growth of a local foundation and implemented a philosophy that assumes shared accomplishments and opportunities are necessary for long term growth and the successful development of tourism in the area. This example is one that should be examined now and in the longer term by communities, governments and industry.

Planning for Community-based Tourism
Community-based tourism can develop in a myriad of ways. However, communities that have based tourism development on an open and inclusive process appear to reap benefits earlier, more broadly and in a more sustainable fashion. The experience of Klong Khwang Village in Thailand is a good example of this planning process.

Suggested steps in the development of community-based tourism include the following:

Getting Organized
-Form a local team or action committee in order to develop assess- ment procedures. The team should be widely inclusive and action-oriented.
Identify Community Values
-Spend time determining what the community expects to get from tourism, what it is willing to contribute and what it is not willing to give up. Survey community members to determine their interests and values. It is important to determine the boundaries for tourism.
Visioning Process
-Use community meetings to establish the vision and set broad goals.Seek community involvement and commitment to the ends.
Inventory of Attractions
-Determine what the community has to offer tourists. Identify these attractions by category and the kind of tourist who would be attracted.
Assessment of Attractions
-Each attraction requires an in-depth analysis of its potential, including clear and detailed examination of the quality of the attraction and tourism target market.
Establish Objectives
-Treat the attractions as units, and develop objectives for each of them, complete with cost/benefit analysis.
Impact Analysis
-Determine the potential economic, social and environmental costs. Create plans to minimize or overcome these costs.
Business Plan
-Select priorities, establish yearly objectives including funding sources, identify target goals.
Marketing Plan
-Develop marketing strategies for each attraction.
The most important aspect of any community-based tourism development plan is ensuring ongoing community involvement. At each stage, awareness and education should be an important element. This will not only keep people interested and supportive,but it will also prepare them to take advantage of opportunities. That is the essence of community-based tourism.

Source: http://www.community-tourism.org/