The impact of multiethnic cultural tourism in an Indonesian former mining city

ABSTRACT

The inclusion of cultural features in a region's marketing to tourists is often seen as undermining the authenticity and sacred values of a culture; however, cultural tourism can have a constructive outcome by fostering cultural preservation. We examined the development of coal-mining heritage tourism in Sawahlunto, Indonesia, where the mining industry operated for more than a century before it ceased operations in 2001, threatening to push the city into extinction. Sawahlunto has been a distinctly multiethnic community ever since the mining industry attracted workers from various parts of Indonesia. Therefore, the development of mining heritage tourism in Sawahlunto has incorporated aspects of multiethnic cultural tourism, including the creation of various annual festivals. In the process, the cultural identity of local communities has been strengthened, and the common goal of sustaining the city has functioned as a means of social cohesion and integration. Thus, we show that commodification does not always erode the sacredness of a culture but can instead strengthen the cultural identity and social integration of local communities. In Sawahlunto, culture's dual roles—as part of the identity of local communities and as a unique attraction for tourists—have been intertwined, thereby influencing, complementing, and strengthening each other.

KEYWORDS:

• Coal mining heritage
• multiethnic cultural tourism
• cultural identity
• social integration
• Sawahlunto Indonesia

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan/ LPDP), Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia for providing financial support for the research on which this article is based.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Delmira Syafrini is Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Sociology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia. She is also a lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia. Her research interest includes the sociology of tourism, sociology of development and studies of socio-cultural change in society

Muhamad Fadhil Nurdin is Professor in the Department of Sociology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia. His research interest includes sociology of development and studies of socio-cultural change in society

Yogi Suprayogi Sugandi is Lecturer (PhD) in the Department of Public Administration, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia. His research interest includes public policy and sociology of urban areas

Alfan Miko is Lecturer (PhD) in the Department of Sociology, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia. His research interest includes sociology of development and studies of socio-cultural change in society

Additional information

Funding

Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan/ LPDP), Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia