Young tourists now seek more meaningful experiences
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Tourism has stated that young tourists, dominated by Millennials and Generation Z, are increasingly seeking experiences that hold deeper meaning when visiting a destination.
Ni Made Ayu Marthante, Deputy for Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism, stated in an official briefing in Jakarta on Monday that this trend is driving destinations to develop tourism through natural and cultural potential to provide hands-on experiences for travellers.
“Gen Z, in particular, are looking for meaning; when they travel, it must have significance. This is transforming the types of experiences they wish to achieve,” said Made.
Made noted that this shift in interest is evident in how young tourists enjoy a destination. She cited mountain climbing as an example, noting that Gen Z does not merely focus on reaching the summit, but is also interested in participating in attractions or observing various interesting elements along the journey.
Experiential tourism is one of the efforts being made to realise higher-quality Indonesian tourism. Its implementation requires the integration of three components: appreciation for culture, nature, and human connection.
Since last year, the Ministry of Tourism has begun managing experiential tourism through three pillars: gastronomy, wellness, and marine tourism. This year, two new pillars are being developed: textile (wastra) tourism, as well as arts and culture tourism.
She assessed that textile tourism can be introduced to tourists through various interactive activities packaged attractively, so that tourists do not just see the final product, but can also become more acquainted with the richness of the culture.
Meanwhile, regarding arts and culture tourism, Made mentioned that Indonesia’s abundant cultural wealth has not yet been optimally utilised by tourism stakeholders.
Industry players are also being encouraged to present a variety of tour packages that can help prevent mass tourism, as tourists can be spread across various destinations rather than congregating in a single location.
“Walking tours are excellent and are a current trend. For instance, we can combine arts and culture, textile tourism, and marine tourism through walking tours; this will make Indonesia very attractive and the experience very profound. The more creative, interesting, and unique it is, the more it is sought after by tourists today,” said Made.
She explained that the process can begin with research into the strengths of assets, such as stories, the figures behind cultural assets, or the meanings they hold. The research findings are then used to design activities that can attract tourists to experience those assets personally.
“Value consists of several layers. Therefore, we must design various layers to create value from an asset, an object, a person, a tradition, and so on,” concluded Made.