Unique Experience In Tourism Villages, Attractiveness That Gen Z Is Looking For During A Holiday

Illustration of a unique experience while on vacation in tourist villages (ANTARA/FIKRI YUSUF)

JAKARTA - In this modern era, Generation Z has a unique preference in choosing tourist destinations. They tend to look for authentic experiences that provide closeness to local culture and have a sustainable concept.

One of the increasingly popular options is the tourist village, which offers natural nuances and deeper social interactions.

Tourism observer from Andalas University, Sari Lenggogeni, revealed that tourists from Gen Z are more interested in a more in-depth and meaningful tourism experience, as offered by tourist villages.

This is in line with the survey results from one of the hotel booking platforms, which shows that this generation tends to choose destinations that support environmental sustainability and local culture.

Sari explained that Gen Z had an interest in being part of local culture during their journey. They prefer traditional-style lodging, cycling like local residents, and following various local community habits.

In addition, they also like destinations that have a structured community and offer a high interactive experience.

For example, in a tourist village there is a concept of communal living room or joint kitchen, which creates closer social interactions between tourists and local residents. This is what makes the experience more memorable and authentic. Therefore, it is important for tourism village managers to present innovative attractions with good infrastructure management and maintain environmental cleanliness," Sari said as quoted by ANTARA.

However, Sari reminded that the development of tourist villages must continue to maintain local principles. All parties involved must maintain the cultural values, beliefs, and existing rules so that tourists can adapt well without changing the authenticity of the village.

Like in Bali, there are spatial rules based on local wisdom that are closely guarded. Likewise in Lake Toba and various other destinations. This must be guarded both by the government and the local community so that the uniqueness of tourist villages is maintained," he added.

One of the trends that is also an attraction for Gen Z tourists is the concept of slow living or living a life with a slower rhythm.

They seek calm and balance on their journey, which makes them choose to stay longer, about a week or so, somewhere.

Unlike fast tourism which only lasts three to four days, slow tourism allows tourists to really dive into local life and culture.

Therefore, Sari hopes that the Ministry of Tourism will pay more attention to tourism village clusters and determine their development priorities, especially villages that have received international awards. This step is considered important to increase the number of tourist re-visits and maintain economic growth from the tourism sector.

The readiness of destinations is very important. Tourist villages that have received awards, for example from the ASEAN Awards, should get special attention. These villages can be further developed as a sustainable tourism model and become a reference for the management of other tourist villages," he concluded.