Abstract
The two big tragedies, World Trade Center and Bali blast have positive and negative impacts. The positive one is the awareness of studying Islam in USA and the awakening of domestic tourism. The negative one is the developing of bad image of Islam. Islamic tourism, one of the ways to counter the bad image of Islam, is one of the solutions. East Java has potential sources of Islamic tourism. Therefore, when this is well managed, it will be the competitive product of East Java tourism. In developing this tourism, some points concerning religion rules, support of the government and society and cooperation among distribution points have to be also well managed.
Key words : Islamic tourism, East Java, competitive product
1. Introduction
Before the World Trade Center tragedy, tourism world in Indonesia had not been in good condition because of smoky issues that disturbed neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. Then it was followed by May tragedy which hurt ‘minority tribe but potential one’ in Indonesia and long monetary crisis respectively. The hard years undergone seemed endless when Indonesia received the impact of World Trade Center tragedy.
World Trade Center tragedy that happened on 11 September 2001 still remnant sadness and drawback of various fields in economy, security and social aspects including tourism until today. Tourism as industry is very sensitive to security. Security disturbed gives an effect on tourism. Since tourism involves many aspects in economy, economic life is said to be lame. Hotels, shops, airlines, travel agents, land transportation, restaurants, and other services cannot run very well. Socially there has also been a bad image on Islam since Al Qaidah is accused to be ‘the actor’ on that tragedy. People still remembered very well on the World Trade Center tragedy when Bali blast, an exciting event making people sad and feel unsafe, occurred.
This second big tragedy once again has slapped Islam as if it were identical with killing non-Moslem people. What is within the mind of the Islam enemies is a bad thing that may ruin their life. What they often hear is that Islam is a good and peaceful religion. But what they see in reality is often something that is on the contrary. Therefore it is not quite strange when a woman wearing jilbab takes a walk in Kuta people around cynically will say that the woman is one of the followers of Usamah bin Laden. This indicates that how disappointed Balinese people are to what Amrozi and his friends have done to Bali specifically and, generally, towards Moslems. To see the impact on that tragedy, it is not only Bali which undergoes the drawback of the economic life but also Indonesia in general. Since Bali is the center of tourism, it can be clearly seen that the number of tourists, either the domestic or the foreign, decreases significantly. The condition of the tourism industry in Indonesia can be categorized into being seriously ‘sick’.
2. The Impact of the Tragedies to Tourism
These two tragic events make people have to think twice if they want to go outside for a picnic. They prefer spending their spare time or holiday at home or in their home country in which they are quite sure that the places will give them safety and comfort. From this phenomenon, the tourism experts and marketers change their market direction from the focus on the foreign tourist segmentation to domestic tourist segmentation. They do not realize how big this tourism potent is. In the point of view of income, domestic tourists give lesser income. However, since the number of the domestic tourists and the frequencies of having journey increase, the income the domestic tourists contribute in the near future can be more or less the same, if it is well-managed.
Well-managed domestic tourist will cover need assessment of domestic tourists coming from all parts of Indonesia. Tourism package for adults and youngsters, their specific tourism interest, accommodation, food, transportation and other things are all important factors that should be taken into consideration. The development of domestic tourism will also help to create the image that not only foreign tourist can support tourism industry but also domestic ones. The principle of little profit which can be multiplied in high frequency should be maintained. Based on those two kinds of tourism, the experts and marketers can focus on domestic tourism. However, since the condition of the country is still not getting better, most of Indonesian people will spend their income for primary needs.
Beside being aware of domestic tourism, World Trade Center tragedy supports the spirit to learn Islam. Islamic books in USA becomes best selling. The sale of the books increases incredibly. Even it can be categorized as sky rocketting either in book shops or at amazone.dot.com, a website which sells Islamic books (Semone, 2002). Readers in USA think that there must be things that drive Usamah bin Laden to destroy WTC even though up to now there is no authentic perfect proof whether or Usamah did it. A big question that bears in their mind is : what is actually the background of doing that big tragedy? Since Usamah is a Moslem, educated people will have uncountable questions about Islam. The questions are not only related to Usamah but to Islam as well. The countless questions will be explored not only through references but also possibly countries where the majority of the population are Moslems.
What do they go there for? Certainly they go there to study Islam. This phenomenon actually creates the special segment of tourists which is often called special interest tourism. If they have read the books about Islam, do what they read is actually the same as what they have in their minds? One of the alternative solutions is through studying Islam in the Moslem countries, including Indonesia. Islam in Indonesia has its own unique characteristics which cannot be found in other Islamic countries. This is another point of Islam which can be developed into tourism. Its unique cahracteristics could be explored in the form of Islamic tourism study.
3.The Potential Islamic Tourism in East Java
Seeing the unique characteristics of Islam in Indonesia specifically in East Java where the majority of Moslems and Pesantren exist, a number of package tour could be developed. There are some proposed package tours that need special attention
3.1. Tour de Pesantren
In almost every town in East Java there is a pesantren or it is generally called a school with a boarding house, either classic or modern one. In a big city usually there are classic and modern ones but in a small town usually classic pesantrens are dominant. What is meant by classic is he study of Islam bases on the ‘Kitab-kitab’ and they tend to study the purity of Islam while the modern ones have the combination of studying the kitab-kitab and the change of era that allows them to make renovation based on the development of the world.. Therefore some pesantrens have the label of pondok modern or pesantren modern which indicates that the pesantren provides the religion teaching and what the santri should study in the modern era.
Pesantren has different system from universal school. The santri or students have to stay at pesantren so they are not going home during their study. They only have special day for going home. During their stay they have to practice what they have got in their lesson in their everyday life such as senior santris have to devote teaching before leaving pesantren, practicing foreign language they have with their friends, being discipline, and other good deeds that they have to practice.
By having tour de pesantren tourists will have the illustration on what santris are studying. Is there any program for brain washing to be the killers? Is that because of religious teaching that make people from pesantren like Amrozi has the bravery to bomb and kill many people or the people who actually miss-interpret the Alqur’an verses?. A deep and thorough study needs to be done in analyzing this, and this can be bridged by studying Islam in pesantren. A clear example is Darut Tauhid pesantren where some santris come from United States. By having tour de pesantren a clear illustration will be gained, and this program will decrease that actually little information on everything including Islam will lead to miss-interpretation.
3.2. Religious tourism
What is meant by religious tourism is tour de Wali Songo that is visiting the graveyard of Islam preachers especially in East Java. What the pilgrimage do is to know and to learn how Islam enters Java and to pray to God. Things that should be taken into consideration is that this tour can only be followed by moslems. Therefore a place or a mini movie has to be prepared for non moslems to see the synopsis of the story of Wali and their religious preaching. This kind of film has been displayed on a private television.
3.3. Health tourism
A specific health tourism here is the model of alternative cure by Kyai or Nyai, a man or woman Islam leader. They have their own method of curing sick people. Gus Alif uses egg and praying for the media of curing sickness. A certain Nyai uses picture and pray, where as a certain Kyai of Sawojajar uses a photograph and praying as the media. This kind of cure will give the illustration that God gives miracles to certain people He wants by giving supranatural power that nobody has. The method of cure is also totally different from western ways. Tourists will learn a lot on the miracles of God that are given to selected human beings.
3.4. Islamic gourmet tourism
The characteristics of Islamic gourmet are halal and thoyyib, halal means the food does not contain pork, dog, frog and other animals that are forbidden to eat. While thoyyib means the way how to get the food is in a good and permitted way. When the two requirements are fulfilled people are not doubtful in eating that food. Principally there are many kinds of food that have the requirements, however for Islamic gourmet there should be specific things that accompany them. Usually there is the origin or the story of the food. Kolak, ketan and apem which used to be pronounced Qola, qotoan , afam are specific food that are served when people gather to study Islam. This kind of teaching was given by one of the Wali Songo at that time. Another food that has a story is kupat and lepet which have the story of being apologized each other when people in the neighborhood give those food each other.
Food and the story are interesting thing to be described to tourists. The story that accompany food contains education that is teaching techniques applied by Wali in introducing Islam to people in Indonesia who at that time are mostly Hindus.The food that was served in religious teaching by Wali many years ago is still served in a certain occasion until now. In many villages in East Java Jumat legi the ceremony of sending prayers to relatives who have passed away still becomes a strong tradition. However in the town such a ceremony is rarely found. Nowadays where the era is getting modern and people prefer practical things in doing almost everything, maintaining tradition that could strenghthen friendship among human beings should be maintained. The important thing that should be done is registering food that can be categorized as Islamic gourmet or food and trying to introduce and display in specific restaurant or food festival to attract tourists.
3.5. Islamic music for religious preaching/da’wah
Indonesia is very rich in music which has many kinds of colour, ranging from tradition, custom, tribes, other countries’ influence, modernism to religion. Islamic music is in combination among all colours in which the content is asking people to do good things to human beings and to God in the world. Hadad Alwi’s music to some extent has the colour of all and is packed traditionally. But others are packed in modern way with a collaboration with Australian musician and rocker band ‘Slank’. Both of them sound very nice and it can satisfy listeners who consist of young and old. This means that Hadad Alwi could read the taste of the audience. Kyai Kanjeng of Cak Nun is another example of Islamic music which contains deep philosophy of Islam which is served in traditional and modern way. Cak Nun tries to recycle the Islamic Javanese song ‘Ilir- ilir so that young people could enjoy and contemplate the content of the song. Nasyid group which is now growing rapidly among young people in East Java is another colour of Islamic music that also has great potent in spreading da’wah. Nasyid has focused more on the beauty of the voice of the singers and the musical instruments are not quite dominant. So when nasyid group are on the show audience could listen the lyrics of Islamic teaching clearly from the singers.
The turning point of tourism which is now developed into many branches of tourism including tailor made tourism, sooner or latter would drive the supply and demand on tourism. Meanwhille the growth of westerners in studying Islam will also increase. Another form of tourism is labelled as ‘wisata ruhani’ or mental tourism hoped to sharpen inner conscience awaken to do the good things to human beings and God. Islamic music is one of the solutions and it will be of a help for making people feel relieved and peaceful.
3.6. Islamic traditional ceremonies
Idhul Fitri and Idhul Adha are two big Islamic Days which are celebrated by all moslems in Indonesia. Idhul Fitri is a day where parents, children, relatives, neighbours and friends who live nearby or from far away distance meet and apologize each other. On this big day very important person such as mayor, regent or governor has opened his house where people could go to that party. Specifically in East Java one week after Idhul Fitri there is Idhul Fitri Kupat where people on that day cook special food called ‘kupat’ with the accompaniment and they take them to relatives and neighbours. Kupat symbolizes that among human beings on that day there have no more envy, jealosy , prejudice and other bad things. Actually people have done it on Idhul Fitri. However, Idhul Fitri Kupat functions as a strength of apologizing each other.
There is an interesting story on one of the Islamic traditional ceremonies held in a certain city in USA. An Indonesian child living in USA asked his mother why haloween party is very great, children are amused by atrractions and why Idhul Adha is not. Based on that question the next Idhul Adha Indonesian mothers there held Idhul Adha in which children can take part. After sholat there is a program for children where they have to attend pengajian and other specific programs such as games and show all in the atmosphere of Idhul Adha and children get presents such as holy Qur’an,sajadah, sarung, or kopiah. Mothers club there have the opinion that in the Islamic Day they want to show to other people there that they want to make children happy without leaving the Islamic teaching. Here it can be seen that actually creativity in which many things are involved including syari’ah that is the rules what should do and donot in packaging program plays an important role (Jawa Pos, 2002)
4. Some factors that should be taken into consideration in developing slamic Tourism
4.1. The consideration of Islamic syariah
Islamic tourism is considered to be debatable whenever this is for the consumption for non moslems. The question is when moslem wants to communicate and counter that Islam is not terrorism, Islam is not identical with bombing non moslems, and other bad things there should be some ways as a proof. One of the ways is through tourism. Since it maybe debatable there should be ijtihad that is a deep study based on Alqur’an and hadits, what things are permitted and what things are not in Islamic tourism. When this could be done, not only the understanding that leads to comprehension that tourists will get on Islam but also building friendship and peace among people in the world. And who knows that little by little tourists will be interested in Islam and from that they can inform their friends that Islam is not as bad as what they think. People could be possibly bad but not the Islamic teaching.
4.2. The support of government and society
Tourism is as what experts and many market doers say will be healthy as long as safety and comfort of the country have no problems . Once these two factors are not in good condition actually not only tourism which is disturbed but also another economic factors. The condition of tourism now is still not getting better. Many efforts have been done such as Indonesian police have caught the bomb doers and the government has made the collaboration with famous Indonesian entertainers aiming at building international trust and to attract tourists come to Indonesia, but still has no good result. It will take time and it needs continuous effort to bring the image as what it used to be.
The government and society duty now is even harder, for certain society dislike Moslems in which if it is not observed and carefully managed, it will lead to SARA (a form of dislike towards tribe, religion, ethnic groups can grow among Indonesian tribes). And when this happens, it will become the seed of disintegration. Government and society, any society whether it is in group or individually, formally or informally has to be the agent of promotion of friendship and peace in the country and abroad. A program which constitutes student-teacher exchange among provinces in Indonesia is one of the alternatives, tourism education program in kindergarten is another one, or other programs in the country and abroad that promote friendship and peace should be highly appreciated. Those programs will help to recover Indonesia economically, politically and socially.
4.3. The importance of cooperation in tourism distribution points
Along with the program of peace and friendship the aspect of cooperation among distributions has to be maintained. Distribution points means places where tourists come in a certain tourist destination and they intend to continue their journey at the same destination. East Java is in the middle of the first tourist destination and the second tourist destination, Bali and Yogyakarta. However the tourists visiting even in normal condition is still not satisfying in the sense that East Java is the way to Bali and Yogyakarta. Tourists still view East Java as a transit. Therefore, minimizing the transit cooperation among travel agents in Bali and Yogyakarta with the travel agents in East Java has to be supported and facilitated. With the development of the Islamic tourism in which East Java has a great potent, and the support to the cooperation on distribution points, it is hoped that East Java has competitive product on tourism.
5. Concluding remark
The hatred and prejudice to Islam that are now developed should be counter attacked. One of the ways is through tourism and since East Java has a great potent on Islamic tourism, this kind of tourism when it is well prepared and managed will be a competitive product of tourism in East Java. This big job needs the support of government and society in which they have to share their willingness to promote peace and friendship among human beings in the country and abroad. They also have to promote that Indonesia is safe and comfort to visit.
Bibliography
- Jawa Pos. Idhul Adha di Amerika Serikat 1 Februari 2002
- Kun Aniroh, 2002. Studi Komprehensip Paket Wisata Jawa Timur, a paper presented in the training of Kemampuan Teknis Perencanaan Pembuatan Paket Wisata. Surabaya, 3-4 October 2002
- Kun Aniroh, 2002. Usaha Jasa Impresariat: Belajar dari Singapura, a paper presented in Sosialisasi Usaha Jasa Mice dan Impresariat. Malang 27–28 May 2002
- Semone, Peter, 2001. Thoughts and Notes on Tourism, a paper presented in the Seminar of The Association of Indonesian Tourism Higher Education, Surabaya, 4 October 2001
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