Evaluation Cultural Tourism using Ideology-Utopia Theory (Case Study in Bali)

Abstract

Bali tourism is an exploration developed for cultural and environment sustainability, to boost revenue, provide job opportunities, improve infrastructures, as well as create a sense of civilized exchange between foreigners and citizens. Despite the merits of these developmental activities, the agricultural lands are still reduced due to the construction of hotel resorts for visiting tourists and foreigners. This is based on the economic growth of tourist visits and foreign investment, which reportedly changed Balinese culture into a product threatening the preservation of customs and values, as well as the environment. These observations are due to the distance and differences between the tourist resorts and local communities, such as Nusa Dua, as shown in the tourism planning sector, whose process began through SCETO in 1971. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the ideas, reality, and future of cultural tourism. To explain the development of these explorative activities in Bali, the theories of tourism products and ideology-utopia were used. A qualitative method was also utilized, with data collection techniques carried out through a literature study. With the obtained data qualitatively analyzed, the results showed that Balinese tourism had shifted customs and values into cultural products. This indicated that the idea of cultural tourism had become a utopia due to being operated through different systems.