At the 1 November meeting of the SE Asia Studies Group will discuss:
The Tourism Industry Under Crisis
The Struggle of Small Tourism Enterprises in Yogyakarta (Indonesia)
Presented by: Dr Titi Susilowati Prabawa, Lecturer, Department of Tourism Destination and Graduate Program of Development Studies of Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga.
This study aims at exploring the responses and experiences of small tourism entrepreneurs in different sectors in Yogyakarta to the prolonged crisis. Particularly it is interesting to learn how the small tourism entrepreneurs managed to remain in the businesses despite unfavorable business environment. The study is conducted in Kampung Sosrowijayan and Kampung Prawirotaman, both with their budget accommodation businesses for international tourists, and in Kotagede with its silver industries. Additionally, the research also explored the experience of becak drivers in Prawirotaman who are part and parcel of the growing tourism industry of the area.
During the New Order Government, tourism industry was one of the most important sectors in the local economic development. Apart from large-scale tourist facilities' development, small-scale tourist facilities mushroomed in tandem with the promising growth of tourism development in the region even though without supports from the government who preferred large-scale investment. However, approximately a decade of multi dimensional crises between 1997 and 2006 in Indonesia seriously hindered tourism development in Yogyakarta and had serious consequences for those who depended on tourism for their livelihood. Small tourism business owners in my research suffered from deep inflation as the impact of Asian Financial Crisis while international tourists also stayed away from the areas because of safety and security issues. In the middle of severe business condition, an earthquake struck Yogyakarta in 2006. Nevertheless, despite the harsh business condition, the fieldwork revealed that those people managed to ensure the survival of their businesses. Hardly any entrepreneurs moved away from the areas, but they tried to identify new opportunities in the local market. In fact, operating micro and small enterprises gave the entrepreneurs enough flexibility to move in and out of businesses and adjust the business operation accordingly.
Titi Susilowati Prabawa is a lecturer at the Department of Tourism Destination and Graduate Program of Development Studies of Satya Wacana Christian University Salatiga. Apart from her current position at Satya Wacana Christian University, she is also in charge as the coordinator of the capacity building project for staff members of Commerce and Tourism Department at the National University of Timor Leste. She holds a Master’s degree in International Leisure and Tourism Studies – a joint program between CHN in Holland and University of North London, and a Ph.D in culture, organisation and management from Vrije University in Amsterdam. Her research interest is in tourism, entrepreneurship and development. Between September – November 2013, she is a visiting scholar at International Business and Asian Studies of Griffith University working on an article with Prof. Heidi Dahles.
- Friday 1 November 2013
-N16, Meeting Room 1.44
- Nathan campus
- 2:30 – 4.00pm
To RSVP, please contact Natasha Vary on (07) 3735 5322 or n.vary@griffith.edu.au by 5.00pm Wednesday 30 October, 2013.
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RSVP on or before Wednesday 30 October 2013 , by email n.vary@griffith.edu.au , or by phone 37355322