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Identification of Halal Destination Criteria Fulfillment within Padang
Beach Area as Tourism Attraction Icon of the City of Padang
Yudhytia Wimeina
1), Deni Wahyuni
2)Politeknik Negeri Padang
Kampus Limau Manis, Padang, Sumatera Barat Phone : (0751) 72590, Fax. (0751) 72576 yudhytia@gmail.com, deniwahyuni9@gmail.com2)
Abstract— The city of Padang, as the capital of West Sumatera province contributes significant role in creating impression for the tourist who’s visited West Sumatera. Especially since in 2016 West Sumatera had won three categories in World Halal Tourism Award (WHTA) held by The Ministry of Tourism of United Arab Emirates (UAE) for World’s Best Halal Tourism Destination, World’s Best Halal Culinary Destination, and World Best Halal Tour Operator. Trough this research Padang Beach area, as the iconic tourism attraction of Padang, being identified its general and tourism facilities, as well as its accessibilities, whether there is significant development upon it, especially to meet the requirement of halal destination criteria. To do so, a thorough observation based on criteria check list and questionnaires that distributed to visitors were utilized as the way of collecting data needed. The research then results a conclusion that there are more improvement and development needed within the area of Padang Beach to meet the halal destination criteria. Besides, from the research there are also recommendations that feasible to execute by the local government.
Keywords—Halal tourism, Padang, West Sumatera, tourism facilities, accessibilities, halal destination criteria.
I. INTRODUCTION
To increase the income from tourism sector, Indonesia government trough the Ministry of Tourism have boost the effort to promote tourism potency of Indonesia across the globe. Where the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have defined tourism as social, culture and economic phenomena which led human to shift or move from their origin or environment for personal or business purposes (UNWTO.org, 2014). Meanwhile, Goeldner and Ritchie (2012) were explained tourism as a composite of activities, services, and industries that deliver a travel experience, transportation, accommodations, eating and drinking establishments, shops, entertainment, activity facilities, and other hospitality services available for individuals or groups that are traveling away from home.
An effort that had been done by the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia was joining the World Travel Summit and Exhibition (WHTS) held by the Ministry of Tourism of United Arab Emirates (UAE), which in this summit there was an accolade event for countries with tourism industry that meets halal tourism criteria. Since the first year competing in this event named World Halal Travel Award (WHTA), Indonesia was able to won three categories within two consecutive years, 2015 and 2016.
Achyar (2015) explained halal tourism as a tourism system that provided for and offered to muslim tourist, which the practice of the system is referring to syariah law. Romli as cited by Priyadi (2016) defined halal tourism as tourism products that provide hospitality services which comply the syariah requirements. Moreover, the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia, trough Halal Tourism Development Acceleration Team has developed criteria of halal tourism which also had been socialized to the tourism stakeholders of West Sumatera. Those criteria are as follow;
1. Territoriality 2. Tourism Attraction 3. General Facility 4. Tourism Facility 5. Accessibility 6. Investation
7. Government Support
300 In 2016, West Sumatera, as one province that appointed by the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia among other eight provinces had won three categories in WHTA. Those categories are World’s Best Halal Tourism Destination, Best Halal Culinary Destination and Best Halal Tour Operator. West Sumatera able to won the awards due to the system of choosing the winner was trough voting via short massage system (SMS) (National Geographic.co.id, 2016).
As the capital of West Sumatera Province, Padang is the main entrance for tourist to visit West Sumatera as a whole. In this regards, Padang then plays significant roles to create impression for the tourists. Tourist is a person who travels from place to place for non-work reasons (Goeldner and Ritchie, 2012). Indonesia government has also defined tourist as those who are conducting tourism (Government regulation No. 10 Yr. 2009).
An attraction that is iconic in Padang is the Padang beach. To be able to cope with the predicate as World’s Best Halal Tourism Destination, Padang beach as an iconic attraction should be able to provide the needs of tourist especially those who are muslim. It means, within the area of Padang beach there supposed to have facilities, as well as accessibilities that meet the criteria of halal tourism. Therefore, trough this research, those facilities both general and tourism, as well as the accessibilities of Padang beach were identified whether it has meet the halal criteria or there are homework that should be done.
II. METHODOLOGY
In order to find out whether the facilities and accessibilities within Padang beach area has meet the criteria of halal tourism, this research first aiming on the identification of general facilities, tourism facilities and accessibilities. To conduct the research, method that being deployed was descriptive research, a research that explain event or phenomena descriptively (Neolaka, 2014). The identification will be beneficial to conduct next research. The data were collected by distributing 100 questionnaires to the tourist in Padang beach area, in which the questionnaires were developed base on the following categories;
1. General Facilities a. Toilet b. Mosque 2. Tourism Facilities
a. Accommodation
b. Food and Beverage Services c. Services in Tourism Area d. Travel Bureau
e. Entertainment and Attraction Services 3. Accessibilities
The questionnaires were distributes to respondent which had been selected by using cluster sampling technique. The cluster sampling technique was utilized due to Padang beach area is lies three kilometers away. Respondents were asked to fill in the questionnaires by choosing their degree of agreement upon the statements on the questionnaires. If respondents agreed on the statement, they chose agree or strongly agree, and whenever they found the statements were not suit to what they have experienced, then they can chose disagree or strongly disagree. Those responses then being coding, processed statistically and descriptively elaborated.
Besides distributing questionnaires, Padang beach area was also observed by using checklist that being developed based on halal tourism criteria from Halal Tourism Development Acceleration Team. Conclusion of the research was made by comparing respondent’s response with the observation result.
III.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
From 100 questionnaires distributed, only 75% of those questionnaires that able to be analyzed further due to the respondents who filled in the questionnaires are from Padang city. According to the definition of tourist that had been stated earlier, Padang citizens are not able to be considered as tourists. From those 75 set questionnaires that is processed, it shown that most of the respondents (35%) are those amongst 15 to 25 years old, following by those who are more than 45 years old by 31%.
301 general facilities in Padang beach area, are well functioning. This finding is based on the following calculation;
TABLE II
RESPONSE FOR TOILET CONDITION
Questionnaire Statements Agree Disagree
Toilet directions in Arabic 35% 65%
Toilet availability 63% 37%
Toilet cleanliness 47% 53%
Water adequacy for Wudhu 79% 21% Toilet sewer is not clogged 68% 32% Available toilet custodian 77% 23% Source; Data Processing
Somehow, the response upon toilet cleanliness showed 53% of disagreement. This figure can be interpreted as low cleanliness of the toilets in Padang beach area. Beside toilets, mosques are also one criterion for general facilities of halal tourism.
The respondents of this research opined that Mosques within Padang beach area are well maintained. Even though there were no directions to the Mosque in Arabic language. 67% of the respondents considered easiness in finding Mosque in Padang beach area, since it is available in every 500 meters. 91% assured that the Mosques are clean as well as having adequate lighting. 80% of the respondents stated upon respondent’s response, the following table showed the figure of the calculation;
TABLE III
RESPONSE FOR MOSQUE CONDITION
Questionnaire Statements Agree Disagree
Mosque direction in Arabic 37% 63% Mosque availability in every 500
meters 67% 33%
Mosque cleanliness 91% 9%
Mosque lighting is adequate 91% 9% Mosque air circulation is good 80% 20% Kiblah directions is available 99% 1% Prayer schedule is available 83% 17% Prayer kit is available 80% 20% Water adequacy for wudhu 85% 15% Easy access from wudhu area to
praying area 91% 9%
Wudhu area sewer is not clogged 84% 16% Waste bin availability in Mosque
area 75% 25%
Source; Data Processing
Comparing to observation result, respondents response upon toilet condition is on the contrary. Referring to the criteria developed by Halal Tourism Development Acceleration Team, the toilets among Padang beach area are not able to meet the standard. The condition of the toilets are concerning since the water is not adequate, some toilets are smelly and the lighting is bad. Apart from that, the water reservoir is very close to the closet, this may caused the water will be polluted. Other thing that being captured trough the observation was the limited waste bin availability on the toilets, as well as the water sewer that clogged here and there. Though there were custodian or officer available by the toilets building, but still it is an unfortunate that the toilets are not suit to the standard of halal tourism criteria, even though domestic tourist thought it is adequate enough.
302 TABLE IV
RESPONSE FOR TOURISM FACILITIES
Questionnaire Statements Agree Disagree Halal certified travel agent/bureau
in Padang beach 39% 61%
Halal certified accommodation in
Padang beach 61% 39%
Halal certified restaurants in Padang
beach 40% 60%
Halal certified hotel restaurants in
Padang beach 41% 59%
Halal certified cafes in Padang
beach 44% 56%
Halal certified food stalls in Padang
beach 44% 56%
Halal certified gift shops in Padang
beach 36% 64%
Source; Data Processing
From table IV above, we can see a big difference of respondents’ response towards tourism facilities comparing to general facilities. In responding to general facilities, majority of the respondents agreed that the toilet and Mosque in Padang beach area are well maintained and able to support their basic needs for praying. Even that so, still cleanliness is the issue for toilets and Mosques in Padang beach area.
Somehow, for tourism facilities most of respondents agreed that the facilities are not adequate in supporting their activities while they are traveling or spending time as tourist in Padang beach area. From table IV we can see that respondents of this research are not able in finding halal certified food and beverage providers, certified halal restaurants, hotel restaurants nor cafés and food stalls. Respondents as tourists in Padang beach restaurants also unable to find halal certified travel bureau along Padang beach area.
In contrary, respondents agreed that they were able to find a halal certified accommodation along the Padang beach area. Moreover, beside travel agent or travel bureau, accommodation and food and beverage providers, tourism facilities also supported by tourism area service provider and entertainment and attraction services. The data processed that shown in table IV were compatible with the observation results, where the is only one hotel and hotel restaurants that already certified halal by halal certification organization of Indonesia, while there is no other restaurants, cafes, food stalls, gift shops and travel agent or travel bureau that hold any halal certification.
Unfortunately, as previous criteria of tourism facilities, tourism area service provider in Padang beach also graded poor by the respondents. From the data processed, it is clearly shown that respondents as Padang beach tourist were not able
to find or get services from the tourism officers that supposed to be available along Padang beach area. 60% of the respondents agreed that they cannot find any superintendent in Padang beach area. 59% agreed that there was no tourism police, and 72% assured that there was no tourist guide as well along Padang beach area. The figures are as follow;
TABLE V
RESPONSE FOR TOURISM AREA SERVICE PROVIDER
Questionnaire Statements Agree Disagree Padang beach superintendent shown by table V also confirmed by the observation results, where it is hard to find service providers such as Padang beach superintendents, tourism tourist and tourist guide along Padang beach. Moreover, another part of tourism facilities is entertainment and attraction services. In halal tourism the entertainment or other amusement activity also being regulates to meet the syariah provision. Somehow, in this research the availability of entertainment and amusement activity for tourist along Padang beach are being identified. The following table will show the respondents response upon the availability of several entertainment and amusement activity in Padang beach.
TABLE VI
ENTERTAINMENT AND AMUSEMENT AVAILABILITY
Questionnaire Statements Agree Disagree
Water sport rides availability 37% 63% Playground for children 88% 12% Playground for adults 45% 55% Commemoration monument 87% 13% Museum or historical site
availability 17% 83%
Art and cultural performance 60% 40% Sport arena availability 77% 23% Shopping center availability 20% 80%
Questionnaire Statements Agree Disagree
Halal certified spa 17% 83%
Retailer shop/ mini market
availability 37% 63%
Information of forbidden sexy
303
1. There are playgrounds for children available in Padang beach area.
2. There are commemoration monuments available in Padang beach area.
3. There are art and cultural performance available in Padang beach area.
4. There are sport arenas available in Padang beach area. 5. And adzan is well heard along the Padang beach area.
This response are confirms by the observation result, in which there are numbers of playgrounds for children but lack of water activities and activities for adults. There are two commemoration monuments in Padang beach area that becoming tourist favorite photo spots, but unfortunately there is no museum or any other historical site within this beach area. During visiting Padang, tourist may also do some sport in Padang beach area, because there are pavement that wide enough to be used as jogging track. There are also other sport facilities as such basketball and volley-beach ball field. In addition, even though by the Padang beach area according to the respondents it is lack of halal certified spa, malls or shopping centers, retail shops and no information of sexy wardrobe forbid available, almost all of the respondents agreed that they can hear adzan very well while they were on Padang beach area.
Following to general and tourism facilities, the accessibilities towards and from Padang beach area also should be identified. The identification of accessibilities will share insight of how tourist able to reach this iconic attraction in padang. Both observation and questionnaires return in same information, where there is lack of public transportation provision in Padang beach area. Table below shows the questionnaires processed data results;
TABLE VII
ACCESSIBILITY TOWARD PADANG BEACH AREA
Questionnaire Statements Agree Disagree Public transport availability from
and to Padang beach area 29% 71%
Questionnaire Statements Agree Disagree
Variations of public transport availability from and to Padang beach area
40% 60%
Traveling prayer information on the
public transport availability 31% 69% Directions in English and Arabic 21% 79% Free transport provided by the local
Government 27% 73%
Source; Data Processing
IV. CONCLUSION
From the discussion preciously, it can be concluded that the city of Padang has not ready yet to be the host of halal tourism destination. The results of the research had proved this by identified facilities and accessibilities in Padang beach area, an iconic tourism attraction in Padang city. The relevance between Padang beach area and the capability of Padang as the capital city of West Sumatera, the World Best Halal Tourism Destination, is that after a year since the award received; there were still no significant improvement within the most visited area in Padang.
Therefore, the local government of Padang especially and West Sumatera, in general, should take more serious consideration to speed up development needed upon the facilities and accessibilities. Especially to make swift effort in escalading the facilities and accessibilities to meet the basic requirements of muslim tourist which being targeted by joining the Worlds Halal Tourism Summit and Exhibition. The development can be started by improving the quality of sanitation or toilets and Mosques along Padang beach area prior to the implementation of the syariah law. In addition, the local government also should speeding up the issuance of local regulation about halal tourism in West Sumatera.
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