Socio-economic impacts of tourism on a world heritage site : case study of rural Borobudur, Indonesia (original) (raw)

This study focuses on Borobudur Temple Compounds World Heritage Site (WHS) and the surrounding rural area in Central Java, Indonesia. It aims to (1) investigate socioeconomic impacts of heritage tourism from local community's point of view; and (2) explore factors, which are affecting the generation of socioeconomic impacts for the community. Through survey research targeting local people, focus group interviews and key informants interviews, this study tried to investigate socioeconomic impacts of heritage tourism from local community's point of view. The study then explores factors that have been affecting socioeconomic impacts of heritage tourism in Borobudur. It classified these factors into three different contexts, i.e. local, national, and international context. The local context consists of the local environment (socio-demography and area characteristics) and management of WHS and heritage tourism (organizations involved in the management and their interrelationships , management process); the national context encompasses tourism policy and the existing legal frameworks on tourism and WHS; and the international context consists of the role of relevant organizations, such as UNESCO, the nomination process and the dynamics of World Heritage discourse, i.e. evolving concepts relevant to local development in the past years and how they are implemented so that WHS can give more benefit to development at the local level. Using data collection methods such as interviews with organizations involved in the management of WHS and its vicinity, expert interviews, secondary data analysis, the second research objective, which is to explore factors affecting the generation of socioeconomic impacts for the community, is carried out. By combining the research conducted at the community level and the many influencing factors, the study intend to explain the socioeconomic impacts at the community level in light of the management or governing process of the WHS and its vicinity, the institutional arrangement as well as the interactions between organizations, and in the context of policy-which is reflected in the current legal framework influencing the site. This study finds that heritage tourism in Borobudur had contributed quite significantly to local government's tax revenue and to growing services and tourism related sectors' shares into Gross Regional Domestic Products within Borobudur District. Tourism has also stimulated the development of infrastructure in the area and has provided business opportunities over the years. However, the study also found that there have been limited positive impacts of heritage tourism ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my deep gratitude to Professor Yoshiaki Nishikawa, my main advisor, for his guidance, supervision, and support whilst undertaking this research. Professor Nishikawa has always encouraged me to keep my spirit high in times of difficulties during the course of my study. Special thanks also to Professor Yoshihiko Nishimura, who often through critical questions has helped me to improve my research and make it more meaningful. Professor Hiroshi Osada, who always provided supports in a special way. I found that although my interaction with Professor Osada was too short, I could always count on him for advice and guidance. In the later part of my three years in the doctoral program, I am honoured to have Professor Kimiaki Takahashi as one of my advisors. I thank him for the enlightening discussions about social research that has contributed to the improvement of this dissertation. I am also indebted to Assistant Professor Mark Rebuck for generous English proofreading and editing that have really improved my work. This research would not have been possible without the help of Ms. Titin Fatimah at Kyoto University and Dr. Amiluhur Soeroso and Dr. Laretna Adishakti of Gadjah Mada University for sharing invaluable information regarding the research site. Mr. Yunus Arbi and Ms. Winarni from the Directorate General of History and Archaeology, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, for allowing me to interview them. Mr. Marsis Sutopo from the Borobudur Heritage Conservation Institute. Mr. Masanori Nagaoka, Culture Programme Specialist, and his staff at the UNESCO Office, Jakarta. From the local government of Magelang Regency: Mr. Utoyo, the Secretary of Local Government; Mr. Wibowo Setyo Utomo, the Head of Tourism and Culture Office; Mr. Chairiel Wasthonny, Head of the Regional Planning Agency (BAPPEDA) and his staff, Mr. Pantjaraningtyas Putrato; and the staff at the Regional Income Office. I thank all of them for the time they spared me for the interview sessions and for all the secondary data they kindly provided me. From PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko, I would like to thank Mr. Guntur Poernomo and Mr. Jamari, key staff during the period of 2008, and Ms. v Retno Hardiasiwi, Personnel and General Affairs Director, member of the new board of directors in 2009. I am indebted to the people of Borobudur who welcomed me and was willing to participate in the surveys and focus group interviews. In particular, I would like to thank Hatta and Jack Priyana of JAKER (Borobudur Tourism Workers Association); Ian and everyone at the Candirejo Tourism Village Cooperatives; Mr. Maladi, Head of the Borobudur Village; and Wahyu, my research assistant during the surveys. I thank also the people who have helped me with logistic arrangement for the fieldworks: Mr. Nyoman and Mr. Warno, Ms. Ayu Aditya and Ms. Dita. Special thanks to my Indonesian friends in Nagoya and my friends at the Rural and Regional Development Seminar: Do My Hien, Koji, Kusuma, Shanti, Erin and others who I cannot mention one by one. Wawan Juswanto, a fellow Indonesian, who shared the same start and finale with me at the GSID. I thank Daiko Foundation and Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) for providing scholarships during some stages of my study. Yagami Sensei, Okada Sensei and Sano Sensei, teachers at Ikatsu Elementary School; also Kuwahara Sensei, Sano Sensei, Iguchi Sensei and Kato Sensei, teachers at Showa-Sho Hoikuen; who have provided me and my husband with a sense of comfort knowing that our two sons would be in good hands while we spent the hours at the Nagoya University. Finally, I am grateful to my wonderful husband, Agustan who always supported and convinced me that I could overcome the challenges of being a mom and a doctoral student at the same time. Our sons Almukantar Fikriansyah and Alnair Lapatiroi who have made my life so colorful. My father, Dr. Kausar Ali Saleh, and mother, Iesye Kausar, for all their support and prayers. Also to my sister, Ria and her lovely family. I am also grateful to my father, mother, sisters and brothers in law in Makassar and all families in Jakarta, Lampung, Bogor, Makassar, and Bone, for all your supports and prayers for us. vi