Culture as a Selling Point of Lombok’s Tourism (1/2)

Introduction
Indonesian’s most famous tourist destinations for domestic tourists are Bali, Jogjakarta-Central Java, Mount Bromo-East Java, and Bunaken-Manado. Bali is famous for its beaches and cultures. Jogjakarta is famous for its Javanese Kingdom (Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta), mount Merapi and the well-known Borobudur, one of the seven wonders of the world. Mount Bromo offers the most scenic sun rise on a mountain. Whilst Bunaken lures tourists using its beautiful coral-reef.

Indonesia is a land of diversity. It is rich in its tradition, culture, folklore, landscape, and culinary. This diversity can be utilized as a selling point in domestic tourism. Each tourist destination in Indonesia thus can offer a unique experience for tourists. However, most of tourist destinations rely heavily on scenic view such as beach, mountain, and country side. Culture is only treated as a minor attraction.

The paper aims to show that culture can be offered as a prime attraction of tourist destinations. A marketing strategy along with short explanation on idea of Lombok’s cultural tourism is briefly discussed in the beginning of the paper. In assessing this possibility, the paper uses the theoretical concepts of myth, culinary tourism, remembered experiences, tourist as a child and modes of experience. Furthermore, the paper also discusses the importance of image construction of tourist destinations especially in the dangerous area. In accordance to Indonesia’s geographic condition, the role of infrastructure in supporting domestic tourism is elaborated in the paper.

The Product
The island of Lombok (Spice island) is located east of Bali. Lombok’s tourism consists of beaches, a volcano – Mount Rinjani, and snorkeling in three Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air). Lombok’s residents are mostly Sasak (85%). A tribe that is culturally and linguistically close related to Balinese. The main cultural attractions are the traditional village, the making of various handicrafts, weaving, traditional culinary, and the famous myth of Bau Nyale.

Bau Nyale is a myth regarding Princes Mandalika. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Princes called Mandalika. She was forced to marry a prince that is not of her choice. Feeling so much in despair, Princess Mandalika then run away from the kingdom. Poor Princess, the prince chased her until a sea cliff. Princes Mandalika in the end choose to jump into the sea below. Suddenly, not long after she was drown, there are colourful ‘Palolo‘ worms (Eunice Fucata) come out from reefs.

According to Sasak’s believe, the worm brings luck, fortune, and safety. Every Sasak will try to catch as much worm as possible during the Bau Nyale day. The quantity of catchments represent how succeed the catcher will be in that year. The worm itself is edible and indeed there are some local cuisine based on this worm.

Marketing Strategy
Marketing strategy composed of segmenting, targeting, positioning, and differentiating (Holloway, 2004). Segmenting is the process of ‘sub-grouping the total consumer market whose members share common characteristics’ (Holloway, 2004). Based on costs consideration, the segment is middle-class income level. The Indonesian’s high class income level -rich- is usually focusing more on international destinations. Targeting is the process of selecting the customers that we intent to serve (Wikipedia, Target Market). The target market of Lombok cultural tourism is youth generation especially young professionals and students. They like to take adventure, exploring exotic places, and undertake new experiences.

Positioning is the technique by which ‘marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market for its product, brand, or organization’ (Wikipedia, Positioning). As the target market are youth emphasizing on young professionals and students, thus the appropriate positioning will be “adventure into new realm”. “Adventure” indicates that they will be involved in several activities that may be different with their daily activities. “New realm” gives a notion of mystery, uniqueness, and exotic. One predicts that young generation likes to be active and exploring new experiences.

Product differentiation is the modification of a product to make it more attractive to the target market (Holloway, 2004). The product differentiates in experiencing the tradition. Tourists are invited to join the traditional-yet-simple dance, to catch the worm, and to weave famous Sasak’s woven. Upon special arrangement, tourists can experience to live in one of two conserved traditional village.

Youth magazine, MTV, and youth clubs will be used as marketing channels. Approach to teachers and schools may serve well as marketing channels. Activities such as study tour and graduation farewell trip can be proposed to high schools. Weekend outing is tailored for the young professionals. Whilst longer vacation period – there are three long vacations in Indonesia, namely Christmas, New Year, and the Eidul Fitr – is offered to young families and honeymooners as well to young professionals and students.

Story Telling
Myth plays an important role in tourism as myth is a story made of mythological language and every tourist attraction is based on myth (Selwyn, 1996). Stories are constructed and are introduced to tourist from the beginning of their journey. Several advertisement campaigns are carefully developed and are carried out capitalizing on myths. Images such as traditional houses, Sasak’s dress, the Sasak, and ancient landscape; movies – advertisement clips – presenting part of Sasak’s legends, dances, and daily life; and sounds of Sasak’s songs and traditional instruments are sent to potential tourist through marketing channels, brochures, and advertisement on national-wide mass media and are put thoroughly in strategic places in Lombok’s area such as airport, seaport, primary tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, and roads.

Tourist attractions are arranged to give enchantment using body, nation, object, image, and space (Selwyn, 1996). Tourist mind is seduced by symbolic figures such as statues, signs, and artworks so that tourist feels a “get away” from their daily life into a new realm. Product-knowledge trainings are given to tour operators, guides, and tourist information centres. The trainings cover on Sasak’s history and legends, art performances – dances and songs - and its symbolic messages, mythical places, and Bau Nyale’s ritual.

The prime offer is Bau Nyale’s festival which is celebrated annually and is intensely advertised in national-wide mass media. It takes place in February until March – the worm itself appears only one night around that time. Activities such as traditional dance competition, Princess Mandalika’s story telling and drama contest, concerts of traditional music, and beach-sports are scheduled in a continue phase so that tourists will always have chances to enjoy the festival. There is a performance of Princess Mandalika in every weekend in the Cape Aan near Kuta Beach during the festival seasons. Performers are taken from previous year winner of story telling and drama contest. For the whole period of festival seasons, the Island of Lombok is transformed into a vivid and mythical ambiance.

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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