Klojen (malangkota.go.id) – Tourism City has been pinned to Malang City. However, it is meaningless if it is not followed by a sense of ownership and active involvement of its citizens.
This was conveyed by the Head of the Malang City Culture and Tourism Office (Disbudpar), Ida Ayu Made Wahyuni, SH, M.Si on the sidelines of the Tourism Awareness Group (Po9kdarwis) coaching in Kampung Tridi (3D), Sunday (13/01/2019).
Ida said that Kampung Tridi, Kampung Warna-Warni and Kampung Biru have become one city tourism package. Tourists are still enthusiastic about taking selfies at the tourist location, so according to Ida, local residents must have tourism minded.
Because it emphasizes the uniqueness of three-dimensional mural paintings, to anticipate visitor boredom, residents' creativity is needed to continue rejuvenating the paintings and exploring the potential of the souvenirs presented.
"No less important because it is located in the middle of a residential area is the hospitality and ability to communicate well with visitors," added Ida.
Looking at the data from Disbudpar, there are still 11 Pokdarwis in Malang City. Quantitatively, from the 57 sub-districts in Malang City, it is still 10 percent and this is still small for a city that has been declared a Tourism City as stated in Tri Bina Cita Malang City (Student/Education City, Tourism City and Industrial City_ed).
Responding to this, Ida said that mentoring and education steps must continue to be carried out at the sub-district level.
"There are two things that we emphasize, namely how to encourage and motivate the community to be good hosts in supporting tourism activities and encouraging and motivating the community to improve the quality of the environment and tourist attractions," he explained again.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Malang, Drs. H. Sutiaji, assessed and acknowledged that the people of Malang City do not yet have a strong tourism ethos.
"Our society is not like Bali or Yogyakarta. The tourism blood is not as thick as those two areas. But that doesn't mean we (Malang City) not can. I am sure and I believe I can,” the bespectacled man assured.
Specifically, Sutiaji has encouraged the Malang City Culture and Tourism Office to increase and strengthen Pokdarwis. "How come not up to 50 percent. In fact, Malang City is increasingly familiar and may also be a pioneer in the birth of thematic tourism villages. So the presence of Pokdarwis, which is indeed based on sub-districts, is very strategic," he explained.
Another thing that according to Sutiaji is important to do to further thicken the blood of Malang City tourism is the preparation of a permanent tourism agenda, the addition of hotels with local cultural characteristics and typical Malang tourism knick-knacks, strengthening tour guides and strengthening the characteristics of Malang City tourism which will be emphasized as tourism. heritage.
"Another strategy is the synergy of Malang Raya tourism. Because Bali and Yogya also have the characteristics of one unit," he explained further.
Referring to tourist visit data, the tourism prospects of Malang City are very potential. At the event Indonesia Attractive Index (IAI), Malang City tourism entered and received an award for potential tourism city supported by the presence of thematic villages. (say/yon)
