Talaga Bodas Has Been Designated As The Dutch East Indies Mainstay Tourism In History Today, February 4, 1934

The beauty of Talaga Bodas during the colonial government of the Dutch East Indies. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA History today 89 years ago, February 4, 1934, the Governor General, Bonifacius Cornelis de Jonge set Talaga Bodas, Garut as the mainstay tourist attraction of the Dutch East Indies. This determination was made in line with the many foreign travelers who enjoyed the beauty of Talaga Bodas.

Previously, Dutch East Indies tourism developed rapidly from word of mouth. The peak of fame was marked by the emergence of the Dutch East Indies Tourism Agency, VTV. VTV's duties include massively promoting Nusantara tourism.

Dutch East Indies tourism has been famous for a long time. The presence of travelers from within and outside the country wrote the story of the journey to become the estuary. The study made tourism in the archipelago develop from mouth to mouth.

Private owners of the lodging business to travel agencies see the move as a new business loophole. They also move to promote tourism in the archipelago. Various tourist attractions that are deemed promising for tourism are starting toutify the beauty of advertising.

However, the private sector feels that the promotions carried out are not optimal. They need the government to jointly raise the Indian tourism. Finally, the private sector and the government began to initiate a larger and measurable movement.

This idea made Vereeniging Toerstenverkeer (VTV) officially established on April 13, 1908. The presence of the Dutch East Indies Tourism Agency made Nusantara tourism excited. Even with the power of VTV, many of the tourism facilities are optimized.

The idea that comes from the community related to tourism activities in the Indies is realized through the VTV organization. The elements of the government, especially the central and private governments, are clearly visible in the VTV organization formed by the Dutch East Indies government to regulate tourism activities.

"The VTV organization is an important organization in tourism activities because it relates to various parties both at home and abroad who support tourism activities in the Indies," said Achmad Sunjayadi in the book Tourism in the Dutch East Indies 1891-1942 (2019).

The presence of VTV has paid off. Many tourism places in the Dutch East Indies were lifted and attracted by many parties. From mountainLIGHTs to the temples of the archipelago. However, the Netherlands was not quickly satisfied. They continue to search and explore new tourism locations that are able to bring in many travelers.

Talaga Bodas, for example. The lake in Garut is considered to have a high selling value for the tourism world of the archipelago. The Dutch were attracted by its beauty until the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies Bonifacius Cornelis de Jonge intervened.

De Jonge then appointed Talaga Bodas as one of the mainstay tourism of the Dutch East Indies on February 4, 1934. This determination is a form of appreciation for the beauty of Talaga Bodas being able to provide unforgettable experiences to travelers who come.

Taga Bodas, which at that time was the prima donna of natural tourism, was visited by many tourists from Europe. So famous, on February 4, 1934, the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies at that time issued a decision to make Talaga Bodas one of the tourist attractions.

"As an effort to promote, in addition to making it in the form of a post card by Thilly, details of maps and routes to tourist areas have also been made in the form of books. Since then, many foreign tourists have arrived while riding to Wanaraja, Garut," said Pepen Irpan Fauzan in his book. H Aceng Zakaria: Ulama Islamic Unity (2021).