Wearesocial.com (January 2019) noted that 56% out of Indonesia’s total population (268.2 million) are internet users, with most users being in the range of 18-44 years old. These numbers indicate that tourism promotion using digital technology can be a promising outlet. This inspired UPH’s Faculty of Tourism to hold the event Hospitour 2019 with the theme MILLENNIAL’S DIGITAL (Millennial’s Direct Involvement in Growing International Tourism by Sustaining Local Tourism). The aim of this event is to involve students in the improvement of Indonesia’s tourism sector through digital technology.
The event was held on April 8-11, 2019, at UPH Lippo Village Campus, and was joined by around 400 participants from 31 tourism higher-education institutions and 5 vocational high schools, coming from all across Indonesia – from cities like Medan, Ambon, Bandung, Jakarta, and more.
In Hospitour’s seminar, Dr. Frans Teguh, MA, Assistant Deputy of Manajemen Strategi Kementerian Pariwisata (the Ministry of Tourism’s Strategy Management), urged students to promote Indonesia’s tourism sector along with the technological advancements occurring in Indonesia, to which millennials are no stranger.
“If we can do this, it is guaranteed that Indonesia has the potential to beat Thailand, the current tourism destination chart-topper in the region,” Dr. Frans said.
Technological advancements, he explained, can open up new tourism promotional outlets, which will enrich the travellers’ experience. This can drastically affect the productivity of Indonesia’s tourism industry.
Dr. Frans emphasized that academicians and educational institutions can contribute to the tourism sector by attempting to come up with new innovations and ideas related to tourism – something that can be shared with the community at large, one example being university events like Hospitour.
The Dean of the Faculty of Tourism, Dr. Diena Mutiara Lemy, A.Par., M.M., responded to Dr. Frans’s points, stating that the millennials have so far been responsible in developing the digital side of tourism.
“Students are the future leaders of tourism. Starting from now, they should have a mindset that believes that the technology we have now can be used to develop future tourism destinations in the local level. We must showcase the originality and uniqueness of Indonesia,” Diena explained.
Dr. Amelda Pramezwary, A. Par., M.M., explained that the event Hospitour: ‘Millennial Digital Tourism’ should drive students to become more aware of the importance of continuous tourism.
“This year’s Hospitour relates very closely with the current trend among millennials, which is digital technology. However, our main message still remains – it is to advance the local culture through digital platforms, such as social media. This will make the tourism experience more interactive and shareable. Simply put, we urge UPH students to think global and act local – a principle that will make sustainable tourism development possible,” Amelda told the participants.
The Rector, Dr. (Hon.) Jonathan L. Parapak, M.Eng.Sc., explained that Hospitour is a tangible proof of UPH’s holistic education, including in the tourism sector.
“Hospitour is an event where the future tourism game-players are trained. As we all know, tourism is an economic and lifestyle sector that is important for Indonesia – which means that UPH will take part in its development,” the Rector emphasized.
Events in the likes of Hospitour 2019 are hoped to contribute valuable insights into Indonesia’s future in tourism as part of the government’s Nawacita program. Therefore, the event targets participants from different backgrounds – students, lecturers, professionals, and industrial representatives coming from various parts of Indonesia, all united to take part in the digitalization of tourism. (pl/mt)