Determinant Factors of the Effectiveness of Tourism Development Potentials and Its Development Model in Sarolangun Regency, Jambi, Indonesia

Abstract

The roles of the government, business actors and the community are very important in improving the effectiveness of development of tourism. This study has two objectives. First, to analyse determinant factors of the effectiveness of development of tourism potentialss. Second, to formulate tourism development model. The location of this study is in Sarolangun Regency, Jambi, Indonesia. The methods used to examine the objectives of the study were both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The data was collected by using questionnaires. The number of sample collected was 100 people. In addition to that, field observation, interviews, and focus group discussion with the relevant stakeholders were undertaken to support the quantitative method. The results showed that determinant factors of the effectiveness of tourism development in Sarolangun Regency are the policy implementation, investment and business actors. These factors determined significantly the effectiveness of development of tourism potentials partially as well as jointly. The joint effects of these three independent variables on the effectiveness of development of tourism potentials in Sarolangun were found to be 57 percent. To realize the tourism development model works, the study suggests as follows. First, it is important to restructure regional tourism organization in this regency by involving the participation of the governments at the regency, provincial and national levels, business actors, and community at large. Second, it is important to improve the public transportation coverage, communication networks and road access from and to tourist destinations. Third, it is important to provide supporting facilities including souvenir shops, restaurants, homestays, parking space, and other tourist attractions in each destination. Finally, better training toward tourism human resources is a must including tour guides and communities around tourist destination as well.