Culture as a Selling Point of Lombok’s Tourism (2/2)

Culinary Tourism as a Subset of Cultural Tourism
Dining is among the top three favourite tourist activities (Wolf, 2002). Furthermore, Wolf (2002) argued that cuisine is the art form that involves all five senses and it gives a sense of exploration too. According to Kivela and Crotts (2006) ‘gastronomy plays a major role in the way tourists experience the destination, and indicate that some travellers would return to the same destination to savour its unique gastronomy’. Obviously, culinary richness becomes one of the attractions in Lombok's cultural tourism.

However, culinary tourism is not only about dining out. Culinary tourism offers experiences to tourist by involving them in several activities that are related to culinary aspects such as cooking class, excursion to local eateries, learning stories behind traditional foods, and sampling local cuisine. As a starting point, Lombok has already two well-known signature cuisines for domestic tourist that is Ayam Taliwang (grilled chicken with chilli sauce) and Plecing Kangkung (water spinach in a hot chilli sauce). There is already a belief for Indonesians that “one has not yet visited Lombok before savouring Ayam Taliwang and Plecing Kangkung”.

In accordance with Bau Nyale, an excursion will be arranged for tourists to catch Palolo worms in the night and then learn to prepare it into a delicious cuisine. The excursion is ended by having a supper on the beach. A high standard of hygiene is advocated thoroughly in Lombok’s eateries. Trainings and inspections will be run periodically by health department to ensure food safety in all Lombok’s eateries. Certificate is issued to eateries that passed the inspection. This is done in order to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Although tourists feel safer at home, food safety is an important issue that can influence potential tourist’s decision on which destination to choose (Larsen et al., 2005).

Predicted, On-line, and Remembered Experiences
There is a positive relation between experience and behaviour as people repeat experiences that they enjoy (Wirtz et al., 2003). Furthermore Wirtz et al. (Ibid) found that predicted and remembered experiences are both more positive/negative than on-line experience. They concluded that the remembered experiences that best predict future choice rather than online experiences. However, as the vacation ended, vacationer forgets the disappointment (Mitchell et al., 1997; cited in Wirtz et al., ibid) and reinterprets vacation memories in ways consistent with original expectations (Klaaren et al., 1994; cited in Wirtz et al., ibid).

Giving adequate information to potential tourists through web-sites, brochures, and tourism representatives are carried out to shape nice predicted experiences. Cheerful greetings at the arrival gate – airport and harbour –, warmth services on tourist needs, and cordial farewell to tourists are always encouraged in Lombok. Timely assistance is provided to troubled tourists. Not to mention in keep maintaining a good relationship with tourists via newsletters containing special offer and recent improvement in Lombok’s tourism; and via personalized greeting during special occasion such as birthday, new year and other religious festive. One predicts that those attitudes will provide good remembered experiences that tourists want to repeat.

Tourist as a Child and Mode of Experiences
Tourists should be dealt with as children (Dann, 1996). There is a need from a child- tourist to seek comfort, protection, attention, and nurture from a mother-provider. Thus provider – i.e. tour operators – should provide adequate information for instance accommodation brochures, places to visit, and tourist’s map; and prompt services to clients – i.e. tourists. Tourist information centres will be erected in strategic places – airport, harbour, and Kuta beach – around the island to feast tourist’s hunger of information.

Lengkeek (2001) reformulated Cohen’s mode of experiences into amusement, change, interest, rapture, and mastering. Cultural encounters are set to meet up with various tourist experiences from the amusement of seeing Sasak’s dance to sense of mastering of living as the Sasak.

Image Construction
There was a riot in Lombok in 2000 between ethnic groups and religions which had devastated the image of Lombok as a safe destination for tourists. This flashbulb memory is long-lasting, extremely vivid, and connected with unexpected emotionally laden events (Myers, 2003; cited in Talico and Rubin, 2003). To prevent such memory from deterring domestic tourists visit to Lombok, security system has to be tightened. Assurance on the tourists’ safety should be given by government and community leaders.

Tourism is about image building (Pitana, 2006). Learning from Bali’s case – i.e. the Bali Bombing I and Bali Bombing II – the image of reconciliation between conflicting groups and peaceful nowadays daily life must be transmitted to domestic tourists. News and short documentary movies about peaceful daily life and security assurance will be advertised in national-wide mass media. By doing so, Lombok will once again have the image of a safe tourist destination.

Infrastructures as supporting facilities
Infrastructure such as transportation and accommodation influence the number of tourists visit. Touristic destinations with adequate transportation infrastructure attract more visitor rather than destinations with poor transportation capacity and infrastructure (Tisdell and Wen, 1991; cited in Zhang et al., 1999). Up to the moment, the island of Lombok can be reached through Selaparang international airport, and boat or ferries from Bali. The airport serves frequent flights to Denpasar (Bali) and Surabaya (2^nd biggest city in Indonesia), single flight to Jakarta (capital of Indonesia) and Yogyakarta, and international flights to Kuala Lumpur–Malaysia and Singapore. The airport should be improved so that it can serve more flight connection to other cities in Indonesia and bigger airplane. Roads within the island will be improved or at least maintained at its present condition. This is a large investment; priority will be first given to the primary road in the island.

Potential Conflicts
Tourism creates conflict of access to public goods such as water, roads, and food. Moreover, there is a potential conflict between the need of society advancement – for example, new house’s architecture – and the preservation of antiquated atmosphere – that is the ancient house. More importantly is the problem of economic leakage that is the condition where host (Lombok) only gains small portion of money distributed in the tourism industry. Leakage takes place as the biggest proportion of vacation costs lie in the transportation and hotel-network.

Greater employment opportunity for Lombok’s inhabitant, credit facility for small-medium enterprise, and management consultancy are provided for Lombok’s population. A careful island planning has to be carried out outlining future property development and preservation of cultural objects. In all process, public participation from Lombok’s inhabitant is crucial and thus highly encouraged.

Conclusions
Culture is feasible enough to be a main selling point of a tourist destination. Adequate supply of information plays important rule in supporting cultural tourism. In a cultural tourism, myth should be told or created to lure potential tourists. Local’s oral history (legends, traditions, and beliefs), symbols and signs are good base for making a cultural tourism attraction. Tourist’s experiences can be created through excellent and friendly services that nurture all tourists’ needs and tourist involvement in cultural activities or attraction. Infrastructures as supporting facilities must be maintained to its fullest.

However, it is not clear enough on how big is the proportion of cultural-oriented tourists in Indonesia. Thus researches on tourist behaviour and identification of characteristic of cultural-oriented tourist may become interesting topics. Another interesting research topic is on synergizing Bali’s tourism and Lombok’s.

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REFERENCES

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Larsen, S., Brun, W., Øgaard, T., and Selstad, L. (2005). Subjective Food-Risk Judgements in Tourists. Fifth International Conference on Culinary Arts and Science Global and National Perspectives. Food Service Technology, 5 (1), 47-54.

Lengkeek, J. (2001). Leisure experience and imagination: Rethinking Cohen’s modes of tourist experience. International Sociology, 16(2), 173-184.

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Wolf, E. (2003). Culinary Tourism: A tasty Economic proposition (available on website http://www.culinarytourism.org).