THK Application at Hotel (3)

In Line With Cultural Tourism Development

In previous edition articles, readers were invited to take a flash back, as well as recall number of government policies bearing with social-cultural conflict as an illustration. Social-cultural conflict that is triggered by governmental policy in the tourism area — or at least linked with tourism — that, among other things, go together with the plan of a conservation project of Besakih Temple; mega project case of Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) in Bukit Pecatu (Badung); mega project of Bali Nirwana Resort (BNR) in Tanah Lot (Tabanan); Padanggalak Coastal case (East Denpasar); Selasih Golf Tourism, Payangan (Gianyar); and Turtle Tourism of Serangan Island (South Denpasar).

Societies reaction on governmental policies, in fact, is ossifying enough, but not hard and repressive as today’s demonstration. Years ago – still in the period of Orde Baru – no demonstrators would dare to cross in line with the government, and moreover surely destroy and pelt the security guard with stones. Enunciated, at that time, society seemly is still traumatic with the governance of Orde Baru, which very often repressively deals with society in so many cases entangling the public.
Differing from the conflict of Social-Cultural in October 1999 (reformation era – Megawati Soekarnoputri, the Leader of Indonesian Democratize Party of Struggle (PDI-P – Partai Demokrasi Indonesia-Perjuangan), winning in the general election, but Gus Dur made them losers in the president election. This happened, because the intelligential of a few elite political figures in Middle Axis - merged between National Commendation Party (PAN), Nation Evocation Party (PKB), Functional Group Party (Golkar) – playing its lethal trick, so that Megawati from PDI-P who mastered 33 % of the vote in the general election 1999, was created a looser by Gus Dur from the PKB party, who could just master 7 % of the vote.
Bali Society, seemingly, sulked to witness the ‘game’ rolled by few political elite. That sulking form was shown in the streets with thousands chopping down trees; burning governmental offices, official buildings, and tourism schools; forcing down the resort wall of Nusa Dua tourism area and destroying tens of cars. Caught up then, a demonstration of the hotel’s employees and blacking out the entering gate of some hotels in Jimbaran (Badung); Tanah Lot (Tabanan); Manggis (Karangasem). These cases are truly concerning and almost paralyzed the mentioned hotels operations.
The effect of political cases and contention between ‘’Middle Axis and Megawati”, quite smeared Bali as a tourism destination. After that embarrassing case, the Balinese (Hindu), which is famously known as affable, then changed to become out of context. This character is clearly opposed against the concept of tri hita karana (THK), which always places forward togetherness principles, steadiness -harmony.
This accusation is not 100 % correct, considering ‘Megawati case – Middle Axis’ that correlated with the previous occurrence case triggered by A.M. Saefudin - a minister in Habibie’s governance (1998 – 1999) – alleging Megawati’s belief as Hindu, so she is improper to become the national leader. Here, A.M. Saefudin – consciously or not – had a touching religion problem, which is very sensitive, so people reacted sporadically and dispersed a vindictive aroma. Possibly this ‘vindictive aroma’ is yet removed completely within the memory of Hindu community in Bali up till now.
The next two years saw political chess chopped around. Gus Dur was ‘kicked-out’ by the MPR, and Megawati placed as president. However, less than one year in office Megawati in the position of RI-1, a bomb blasted in Kuta, on the 12th October 2002. Suddenly, Bali’s image changed. The peaceful, safe warmth of the Island of Gods, was suddenly floodlight by the world. Bali, that used to be longed for by the foreign tourists, turned to become travel warning & travel ban (tourism warning and interdict). Caught up again by SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome - acute exhalation channel disease) issue; political chaotic bleed in Buleleng (Northen Bali); murder in Puri Pemecutan Denpasar; Asian Influenza, and other terrible incidents. Thereby, Bali tourism descended rapidly.
On one side, people tell that tourism is most promising for the economic prosperity for Bali people, sites of preservation of nature and culture, not breaking the culture, but exactly giving the inspiration in course of enrichment, conservation, adaptation, reconstruction and reinterpretation. On the other side, some also adjudges tourism as bad luck to the future of Bali and Balinese people as well. Balance and compatibility conception in Cultural Tourism management that base THK, is strongly recommended. The term “Tourism for the Bali, not Bali for Tourism” is even assessed far out from the target.
That is evidence that the THK’s new concept is just in words, not in application. This evidence is clearly represents the big challenge for all hotel’s organizers and tourism business in Bali, which normatively own the obligation to apply the THK conception within life and everyday business management. It is referred as a normative obligation, because it is signed in the District Regulation (Perda) No.3, 1991, about Cultural Tourism. In other words, the application of THK principals in hotels should be in line with Cultural Tourism development.
(Berata Ashrama)