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Rethinking authenticity in tourism in Yogyakarta
Economic and political changes in Indonesia have an influence on the rise of tourism in Yogyakarta.
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People dance in front of the Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta on December 18, 2022.
(AFP/Devi Rahman)
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Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno’s recent remarks at the Private Equity and Venture Capital Summit 2023 about tourism in Yogyakarta have drawn criticism on social media.
After examining tourists’ wants and needs based on the data he had, Uno said that what tourists wanted from Yogyakarta was water parks, not nature- or culture-based experiences or temples. Many found that this observation belittled the image of Yogyakarta as a center of art and culture in Java. The data, according to him, also revealed that sushi, particularly salmon mentai, was in strong demand. He encouraged more investment in water parks and the fulfilment of the increased demand for salmon mentai.
Apparently, many were angered by the promotion of a food that did not adequately reflect the characteristics of Yogyakarta and that was far from being an authentic Javanese dish.
Authenticity in tourism has been a complex subject to which there is no straightforward interpretation. The notion of authenticity is particularly relevant to some types of tourism, such as cultural tourism, which allows tourists to embrace, learn and experience a particular culture, and historical tourism, which represents the past. Cultural and historical tourism remain the most-popular kinds of tourism in Yogyakarta despite the efforts made by the local government to promote other types of tourism.
The attributes of being authentic or inauthentic have commonly been bound to various tourism products such as cultural performances, festivals, works of art, cuisine and so on. In this sense, something is authentic if it is an accurate representation of the original and in accordance with the traditional culture. This also implies that subsequent changes, transformation and creativity can be inauthentic.
