In these following years, tourism in West Papua is getting recognition from international. The positive impression comes when the tourists set foot in the land of West Papua. The exotic nature and cultural tourism are the best combos. No wonder that the government prepares many strategies to invite the tourists to visit the attraction spots in this province.
Some strategies used start from building the facilities, keeping the tourists’ safety, having certified tourist guides, to promoting through digital platforms. Read this article to figure out the illustration of the following strategies.
Building Facilities
Tourism in West Papua supports economic growth. The natural scenery and cultural heritage can attract many domestic and international tourists. As the location is in eastern Indonesia, the facilities seem to become a concern. As a result, the government in West Papua attempts to increase the facilities, including the supporting infrastructure, to develop the tourism industry.
The supporting infrastructure like airport, roads, and bridges play a crucial role to connect tourists from one region to another. The governments redesign and restructure the road in the tourist attraction areas to create a better experience and mobility during their trip to West Papua. As a result, it brings about a positive impact on tourism development in West Papua.
Besides restructuring the road and building the airport, the government in West Papua also provides clean water, sanitation facilities, and residential resettlement.
Tourist Safety and Security
The majority of local people in West Papua are welcoming and friendly. Those who have already visited there could feel their sincerity and hospitality. Still, the government needs to convince the visitors that West Papua is such a safe place to explore. Concerning that thought, keeping West Papua as a safe place to visit becomes the top priority.
Another strategy to conduct for the optimization of tourism in West Papua is to assure tourist safety and security. The tourists need to obtain a travel permit to visit some areas in West Papua. If they are allowed to enter West Papua, they will get some copies of travel permits for each place or hotel.
Getting to know more about the rules is one of the ways to guarantee the safety and security of the tourists. They need to have better awareness about the “do’s and don’ts” during the trip to West Papua. Furthermore, the government designs assessments on safety and security in many regions.
To create assessments on the safety and security of the tourist areas, the government designs internal guidelines, protocols, registered domestic entities (travel permits, laws, and regulations), and information regarding the types of outfits they wear when coming to West Papua. Therefore, tourists should figure out detailed information before visiting.
Certified Tourist Guide
The government in West Papua realizes that tourism development needs much support, especially from the local people. Exploring some beautiful and exotic attractions in West Papua is not easy. They need a favor from local people and also a certified tourist guide to lead the way. They are familiar enough with the environment, social organization, associated land tenures, clan and community leaders, village elders, and authorities.
To keep the tourism industry in West Papua in the track, the government, Indonesian Tourist Guides Association, and Papuans unite to maximize the potential of tourism in West Papua. They make a certification program for tourist guides.
The Papuans who join Indonesian Tourist Guides Association in West Papua could take a competency test. When they pass, they become certified tour guides. They will receive the certificate. By having many certified tour guides, the tourists will feel they are in the right hand.
Promotion through Digital Platforms
Last but not least, promoting to expose the nature and culture of West Papua is crucial. Using digital platforms will bring a good impact as these platforms can reach out to many people to visit and explore West Papua. Both domestic and international tourists can look at the uniqueness and beauty of cultural and natural attraction spots through the media.
The digital platforms can promote cultural tourism, events, and festivals easily. These platforms are feasible to get to Wonderful Indonesia, especially West Papua. A digital platform is such a modern initiative that enables all people to provide detailed information about the hotel rooms, flights, tourism spots, and certified tourist guides.
Conclusion
In conclusion, tourism in West Papua keeps up its progress. As the tourism industry in West Papua has undergone some changes, some strategies are applied to optimize the challenges. Building the facilities, keeping the tourists’ safety, having certified tourist guides, and promoting through digital platforms are such concrete strategies to expose the beauty and the uniqueness of tourism spots in West Papua. By applying these strategies, the number of tourists visiting West Papua will increase significantly.
