Reviving an Unpopular Tourism Destination through the Placemaking Approach: Case Study of Ngawen Temple, Indonesia

Changes in tourists' behavior in recent times have been considered a driving force for emphasizing the importance of unpopular tourism destinations as one of the key potentials in the tourism industry in any nation. On the road to reviving unpopular tourism destinations, this study aims to identify the potential tourism aspect and development of the Ngawen Temple in Indonesia. This research applies the placemaking approach as the main strategy for resurrecting Ngawen Temple. By using visitor surveys, visitor flows, and community surveys, this research obtains a clearer assessment for determining the planning development of Ngawen Temple. The research results revealed that unpopular destinations still have the potential to be developed and bring more benefits to the local economy by conducting a comprehensive placemaking approach. Accordingly, possible strategies based on various literature and field observations can provide clues to stakeholders on how to use their tourism assets to improve local communities' economies. Some of the most frequently proposed strategies are the following: link the unpopular destination with other popular ones through structured tourism trips; design a tourist trap, which is a created place to hold tourists longer in a destination using new additional facilities; improve the infrastructure; and establish more creative tourism spaces, such as tourism centers.

Automated summary

The study found that using a comprehensive placemaking approach, unpopular tourism destinations still have development potential and can bring more benefits to the local economy. Possible strategies include linking unpopular destinations with popular ones, designing tourist traps, improving infrastructure, and establishing more creative tourism spaces.