ASEAN TOURISM IN 21ST CENTURY

The establishment of ASEAN is a nations’ commitment that carries the unity as “We, the people of ASEAN”. A form of seriousness to create a community that is accompanied by awareness and confidence (optimism). It is the large organization to make the region Southeast Asia better and a powerful force that can change the world.

There have been many conferences and important meetings which were held to formulate the next ASEAN fate. Currently, ASEAN is seriously making real its great target “Asean Community 2015”. It is a very long time when we see it from the matter of second, but there are many things to be prepared by all important members of ASEAN which are the 10 countries below, Indonesia in particular.

Today, Indonesia has the honor to chair ASEAN in 2011. Obviously, this year will be the most decisive year for Indonesia to its role in ASEAN if we consider the history and current facts. Talking about ASEAN, it means talking about Indonesia. It is because 40% of ASEAN’s 590 million of population, or 234 millions, live in Indonesia, 42% of Southeast Asia main land as an area of 4.4 million km² is located in the Republic of Indonesia, and 40% of ASEAN’s GDP which is 1500 billion USD is earned by Indonesia.

Talking about tourism in Indonesia, it means talking about 10 paradise places from 10 countries in ASEAN. It is a fact that each state under ASEAN is a tourism country, tourism paradise, and world tourism. As written in law, the matter which is written in the Ratification of Tourism Agreement is also crystallized in Indonesian Presidential Decree in 2007, all of the plans, declarations, or commitments that have been realized together. By those concept similarities, ASEAN tourism in 21^st century will be in its gold age.

ASEAN tourism is an important pillar that is always used as a hot issue in any consideration or decision. It is because directly or indirectly, tourism will affect the economic, socio-cultural, political, and security system as well. Those three pillars could be measured from the tourism development in ASEAN. From economic point of view, the revenue that will come from the tourists who visit ASEAN is going to increase the economic growth in ASEAN region. Tourism will also give a great impact to socio-cultural field, either the plan of ‘ASEAN for ASEAN’ or ‘ASEAN for WORLD’. It is a fact that tourism activities would form a social relationship and also the identification of culture in ASEAN region. In terms of politic, tourism can be used as a strategy to achieve a good diplomatic relation. Cross-border cooperation in terms of tourism can certainly be a strategic key in building diplomatic relationship that is often stained by border problems or cultural identity issues. The security can also be measured by the level of tourists’ interest because the security of a state is directly proportional to the number of tourists who come to a tourism area.

From the success of Europe’s 50-years long journey in formatting European Union compared to hundreds of regional or sub-regional organizations in the world, we can say that they are only European Union and ASEAN which is the organizations with success story.

ASEAN tourism in the 21^st century is the most crucial time for ASEAN. If it starts from now, then to make real the community 2015 as the birth of ASEAN triumph, there must be much homework for us to do. The biggest key of the problem so far is the consciousness. It is our awareness as the people of ASEAN, both elites and the society. It is a fact that in order to make real ASEAN tourism as the world tourism, it takes awareness which eventually results real action. Perhaps, this is what we should remember that we can take real action beginning from ourselves, from a small action, and from this moment.

Tourism as an integration is a unity of destination and all kinds of carrying capacities inside which includes physical infrastructure to hospitality dissertation of ASEAN community mentality. World Economic Form 2009 survey noted the index of competitiveness of tourism in ASEAN. It implies that ASEAN, especially Indonesia, is still relatively weak in capturing the carrying capacity of tourism sector. All parties must consolidate to build the carrying capacity of tourism sector, identifying tasks, and developing them optimally. Government develops the infrastructure, the private parties work on tourism object, the other private parties work on promotion, etc. If they are all well coordinated, all the tangled threads of ASEAN tourism would be solved properly. Certainly, public awareness of ASEAN itself to realize that Southeast Asia tourism as world tourism is needed. Do not hesitate to visit Southeast Asia before trying to visit Europe or other distant regions.

The involvement of youth is also a strategic path in ASEAN tourism effort in the 21^st century. Today, youth needs a place that accepts input, mind, fresh ideas, and also their opinions of the world. It is the time for youth to have a sense and also concern with the current world problems including the problem of global issue. It is because these care youths will really understand how to improve world. They are not youth who only read and learn from the history. Instead, they are the history makers who do not wait until too old to act.

ASEAN tourism in 21^st century would be the success of small thoughts and actions of youths who have total awareness of ASEAN tourism problem. The dream to make ASEAN tourism in 21^st century world-class tourism is no longer only a hope. It will break into real actions of ‘We, the people of ASEAN’, ‘We, the youth of ASEAN.’