Promoting Tourism,

Advancing the Economy of Sumba

Sumba is rich with tourism potencies, covering beaches and sea waves, pasola, traditional costumes and houses, stone graves, dances, music and songs, and savannas. But these have not been seen and responded maximally by Sumba community as tourist attraction that can improve the economy of Sumba. Actually Sumba still has more other interesting things to be developed. Stube-HEMAT Sumba as student-mentoring institution and young people from Sumba took an initiative to hold a training on "Tourism: Cultural Heritage Inventory" with a theme "Opportunities and challenges for young people in the field of tourism", took place at GKS Mauliru, on Nov 30 - Dec 2, 2018.

Two dozens of students from various campuses in East Sumba attended the training. Competent figures in their field facilitate it, such as Yudi Umbu Rawambaku, SE from Tourist Office of East Sumba district who delivered a material ‘The role of the government in developing community-based tourism in increasing local revenue (PAD) '. He said that Sumba's culture as an ancestral heritage needs to be preserved authenticity and free from outside cultural influences, as well as the uniqueness of Sumba's nature as the island's wealth. We should not sell what we have to foreigners so that we will only be guests or spectators in our own land. "The government has tried to develop community-based tourism by providing assistance to cloth weavers, providing musical instruments, building traditional houses, and managing natural potencies, such as beaches and waterfalls. The progress that be realized can not be separated from the support and participation of the community, such as the 1001 horse parade and the weaving exhibition. It proved that the government strongly supported the development of tourism as one of the economic drivers," he said further.

The topic on The Readiness of Youth and Management was presented by Windy Paskawati Suwarno, S.I.Kom. M.Sc., a lecturer at Unkriswina Sumba. She said the tourism sector drives other sectors to move, such as agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, hospitality and so on. Tourists who come to Sumba certainly need accommodation, entertainment, transportation, culinary, and souvenirs. But in Sumba tourist map, only Pasola and traditional houses were seen. That means tourism stakeholders on Sumba have not been able to provide needs that support tourism. Young people seem confused to find flagship products that can be developed from the island. They need to know how to identify tourism development, for example with SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).

Then, the material about opportunities, strategies to start and develop a business in the field of tourism was presented by Martin K. Mbaha, a business actor and legislative member of East Sumba regency. He reminded participants that tourism actor is all of us. As young people, should not think small, pessimistic, unable, but should be able to provide what this area needs.

Deriatus Awa, a theology student of STT GKS Lewa told us that Sumba, known as the Sandelwood horse, cannot be separated from the savannah and weaving as the island's wealth. The Sumbanese are proud when the island becomes tourists’ destination, but they have not seen this as an opportunity. Through the training he admitted that his insight was open to know opportunities in  tourism sector for a better economy in Sumba in the future.

Let's take a look at the available opportunities, take an option of businesses related to tourism and use social media optimally to promote Sumba, so that tourism in Sumba is growing and people's welfare is increasing. (JUF).