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THK and Hotels (6)
Repressive
& Reactive are Unfashionable
Introduction
Tri Hita Karana Tourism Awards & Accreditations
(THK Awards) in 2005 is five years old.
However, there are people still putting
it into question, “What is the background
of executing this program? Why does this
program target hotels? Does not the hotel
‘only’ appeal for capital and
profit/loss, while THK puts forward harmony
and togetherness principles? Is it possible
that both poles—capital and profit
on the one hand, while harmony and togetherness
spirit on the other hand—can coalesce?
So, what is the concrete result of the THK
Awards after five years?
Bali Travel News, starting from the 14th
edition carries comprehensive articles around
the carrying out of THK Awards. Based on
the background of the program launched,
its method and execution mechanism up to
the positive impact comes into view after
five years.
During
32 years (1966-1998) of the administration
of last New Order era, choice of solution
by the authority towards the socio-cultural
conflicts, as a general rule, was repressive
and reactive by means of bureaucracy power
so they were easily ‘muffled’. However,
in the era of glasnost and reformed euphoria
that carries reformation, democratisation
and human rights, so old manners and militaristic
pressure are no longer effective. Those that
required at the present time are egalitarian,
participative, transparency and accountability
approach. These are mandated in the THK concept
and they belong to distinctly essential mandate.
When the authority holder (government) on
the one hand neglects such egalitarian, participative,
transparency and accountability approach,
in the meantime, tourism and community component
on the other hand, are infected by ‘easy-forgetting
sickness’ towards the socio-cultural
conflicts, so do not be surprised if a tragedy
like the Kuta Bomb will occur again. So does
the tourism development that based on THK,
if it’s only a rhetoric, do not also
be surprised if one day the allurement of
Bali’s nature will just remain in painting,
its cultural uniqueness in memory and hospitality
of the Balinese will only be found in the
story.
Indications towards that matter have become
apparent for so long. To name a few, for instance,
‘the habit of mutual blaming’ between
government, business player and community
does not only specify the weakness of introspection,
but also constitutes concrete evidence of
the decrease of togetherness spirit among
all of national components. One of the examples
that occurs and blows progressively strongly
in Bali is the discourse that blames the tourism
development, while some others also force
it into a corner and coincidentally condemn
it as the destroyer of environment and culture.
If this discourse and verdict are let roll,
get bigger, heat up and be accumulated to
several directions, so sooner or later, it
does not only wreck the image of tourism but
also severely damage Bali.
We call it ‘damaging Bali’ because
the sector of tourist service is the right
choice for Bali that is tiny and poor in natural
resources (no gold, iron, oil, coal and so
forth). While, on the other side, it’s
densely populated (3.2 million) reaching density
grade of 568/km2—the extent of Bali land
is only 5,632.86km2.
It is called the right choice for Bali because
the impact of tourist expenditure towards
people’s income and investment for this
time is adequately significant. Data in 1998
indicated respectively 45.3% and 6.3%, absorbed
38% of total job opportunity in Bali. According
to the futurologist (future forecaster based
on present trends) John Naisbitt, tourism
is the greatest globalisation industry. It
absorbs 240 million employees or 10.6% of
total world labour force. Its output reaches
10.2% of gross national product (GNP) or USD
3.4 quintillions. It produces USD 655 billions
tax, nearly 11% of consumer’s expenditure;
and constitutes 10.7% of the investment. Number
of foreign tourist visit in 2020 is forecast
to reach 1,561,000,000 with revenue amounting
to USD 2,000 billions.
Such argument and forecast, seemingly, makes
it more important and strategic the position
of hotel as main component of tourism product
in the midst of globalisation of industry.
In Bali, hotel or accommodation service grows
rapidly. In 1997, there were only 895 hotels
(19,754 rooms), in 2002 increased to 1,198
hotels (35,212 rooms). To prevent the growth
of such hotels will not give raise to conflicts
because of marginalizing the community of
Balinese culture, so the hotel management
needs to implement THK concept that highly
appreciate the principles of togetherness
and harmonization.
Importance of togetherness and harmonic principles
now comes to be realized by world community.
For that reason, the spirit of ‘sustainable
development’ is whipped up in several
countries all over the world that is accompanied
by an awareness of the significance of multilateral
cooperation. One of the most up to date these
days is the spirit of multilateral cooperation
involving all countries throughout the world
in struggling against terrorism. The spirit
of this cooperation is indeed in line with
the THK teaching that proscribes violence,
either among the fellow humans or between
human and nature (flora/fauna or plants and
animals). In this context, it is formulated
that THK is bhakti or devotion to God, loving
and serving one another among the fellow humans
and cherishing the nature. (BTN/B. Ashrama) |
