Sri Rahayu, Ervita Safitri, Arniza Nilawati

(University of Muhammadiyah Palembang, Malaysia)

 

 

Abstract: Since the declaration of Palembang becoming a tourism destination in the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) segment in 2011, various facilities and infrastructure necessary for the MICE activities have been constructed. A number of MICE events, such as SEA Games, the International Solidarity Games, Management Conference VII, have been held in Palembang and this year Palembang will hold ASEAN Students Sports Week. However, theseevents have not had a significant impact on the number of tourists visiting the tourist objects in Palembang; even in 2013 the number of tourists decreased by 18.45%. The room occupancy rate of star hotels in South Sumatra has increased 46.52%, but the average length of stay of foreign and domestic tourists instar hotels has decreased by 0.20 days. Likewise, the number of foreign tourists coming to South Sumatra has substantially decreased by 18.45%. Based on these situations, the researchers would like to provide a solution,to find a form of tourism which iscombined with the MICE tourism. Having found a form of collaborative tourism, there would be guidance to the people living in and near the tourist sites so that the people around the leading tourist attractionswould care and maintain the tourist objects and be able to describe them if requested by the tourists. To this end, the researchers would study the tourism management in the island of Bali and Yogyakarta. On the basis of our experience, the level of participation of the people in both places is very high and they are able to provide a detailed explanation to the tourists. The initial step of this study isbehaviour and objective mapping of the tourists coming to the city of Palembang with the purposes of MICE. The data were collected fromthe tourists staying at the hotels chosen by certain criteria. The results of the interviews with the tourists would show the tourist segmentation. The segmentation would determine the tourism design. Based on the tourism design produced, the researchers would invite the community around the tourist objects and provide them with the knowledge of tourism and excellent services. Next, there would be a national seminar to improve the tourism design produced. The final step of this study is to write the books on sustainable tourism management, leaflets, and booklets.

 

 

Key words: MICE tourism; tourism design; excellent tourism

 

JEL code: M