Institutionalized and Impact of Backpacker Tourism in Ubud

Background

               Indonesia is one of the countries that has become a tourist destination for backpacker tourists. Bali as a tourist destination has several enclave of backpacker tourism, such as: Kuta, Lovina, Candi Dasa and Ubud. The tourism area of ​​Ubud is one of the backpackers destination in Bali which is well known for international tourist. The availability of inexpensive accommodation and tourist facilities has made this area increasingly favored by backpacker tourists in Bali. Even though backpacker-style tourism is now quite developed and has even shifted into a flashpacker (looking more luxurious with new gadgets and lifestyle), in reality backpacker-style tourism is still not a priority in tourism planning, especially in Southeast Asian countries (Tze and Musa, 2005) including Indonesia. Backpacker is often considered to have no significant impact on the economy (Wallstam, 2011). The introduction of the impact and travel patterns of backpacker tourists can provide an overview of the characteristics of current and future demand which will certainly have an impact on tourism development seen from the socio-economic, socio-cultural and environmental aspects so that further research is needed on the existence of backpackers in Bali. especially in the tourism area of ​​Ubud.

History of Tourism in Ubud.

               Ubud sub-district is a district which is famous for its tourism. In the past, the people of Ubud were people who earned income from agriculture. But now it has moved to the field of tourism which is channeled in several ways including: artistic talent through painting, dance, traditional music that can amaze tourists. In 1925 the head of Puri Ubud, Cokorda Gede Raka Sukawati, invited a German painter and musician named Walter Spies and was fascinated by the culture in Bali, so he decided to stay in Bali. Since then, Walter Spies has become a great admirer of Balinese culture and made him a mandatory intermediary for distinguished guests. Then in 1929 came the Dutch painter Rudolf Bonnet who also chose to live in Bali. Spies and Bonnet acted as patrons of art and cultural intermediaries, first by selling Balinese artists' works to wealthy collectors, then by opening up tourism markets. In 1936 Cokorda Gede Agung Sukawati founded an organization called Pita Maha which aimed to promote Balinese art and gathered around 150 artists. In the 1950s, other foreign painters came and settled in Ubud, including: Arie Smit, Han Snel, and Antonio Blanco. Furthermore, in 1956, thanks to the cooperation between Bonnet and Cokorda Agung, the dream of the founders of Pita Maha was fulfilled, namely that a museum of Modern art, Puri Lukisan was opened in Ubud. Then came private galleries that marketed works by artists to tourists. Although often visited by tourists, in the early 1970s in Ubud there were only four hotels, one inn and dozens of art galleries. Since then, Ubud has really become a resort by accommodating two types of visitors, namely first, tourists who tour the island and stay in Ubud for one or two nights. Second, the longer and more there are tourists who want to enjoy Balinese culture and see Ubud as an inverted mirror of Kuta. Tourism in Ubud actually started to develop in 1976, when electricity began to be installed in the village and rapid development occurred in the early 1980s, when inns, restaurants, boutiques, galleries, banks, travel agencies sprang up along the village roads. Since the initial introduction of Ubud as a tourism area, until now Ubud has been known as a cultural and artistic tourism destination (music, dance, sculpture, and painting).

Economic, Socio-Cultural and Environmental Impact of backpackers Tourism in the Ubud

               As with any sector development, the development of backpacker tourists in the Ubud tourism area also has impacts, obstacles and problems. To quote Gee's statement, 1989: 156 (in Pitanatri and Darma Putra) as tourism grows and traveler increases, so does the potential for both positive and negative impacts. Gee said there was always a positive or negative impact or influence on tourism development as an implication of increased tourist visits. The following are the findings of research on the impact of backpacker tourists in the Ubud tourism area.

The Impact of Backpacker Tourists from an Economic Aspect in the Ubud Tourism Area

a.     The development of various local culinary delights in Ubud that are very popular with backpackers, such as Bu Oka's be-roll shop, Bu Mangku's Betutu Chicken, Bebek Bengil and others. Apart from being a cultural experience, local Balinese culinary delights also contribute to improving the welfare of the local community, by providing employment opportunities and purchasing local agricultural products as cooking ingredients. The jobs provided by food stalls in Ubud also prevent rural workers from urbanizing or looking for work to other areas. More than that, it can also be emphasized that the development of local culinary in Ubud tourist destinations has also reduced the level of tourism leakage or leaks in the tourism industry business. Tourism leakage occurs when income derived from economic activities through tourism activities in a country flows abroad to provide raw materials or services because they are not available in the country (Rahman 2012). The potential for tourism leakage caused by high imports of goods and services does not apply to local Balinese culinary businesses in Ubud. This happens because the raw materials ranging from kebasa (spices) to culinary supporters labeled "Bali" can be obtained from local distributors including traders in traditional markets and farmers or breeders. Through the growth of Balinese culinary in the Ubud tourism area, people not only get trickle-down effects, but people have the power to drive and support the economy in Ubud (fountain or trickle-up approach).

b.     Growth and development of natural tourism businesses such as rafting, tracking and cycling in the Ubud tourism area and its surroundings. The emergence of these tourism businesses opens job opportunities for local people to increase their income. c. Backpacker tourists who prefer to organize their trips independently, provide job opportunities for local drivers and guides in the Ubud tourism area. d. The growth of accommodation businesses owned by local Ubud communities that provide cheap accommodation for backpacker tourists in Ubud.

Environmental Impact of Backpacker Tourists in the Ubud Tourism Area

a.     The occurrence of traffic jams and parking problems in the Ubud tourism area. Many great tourism businesses such as restaurants, art shops, warungs fail to attract consumers because there is no parking space, while the culture of going to restaurants and other places by public transportation such as Grab or Uber is not yet common in Ubud. This problem is not only faced by Ubud, but almost all tourist destinations in South Bali including Sanur, Nusa Dua, Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu.

b.     Backpacker tourists in the Ubud tourism area tend to stay at guesthouses, guest houses and tourist cottages to save budget so they use less resources, such as preferring to use a shower and fan instead of a bath tub and air conditioning which means more environmentally friendly. 

Socio-Cultural Impact of Backpacker Tourist in Ubud 

a.   There is preservation of local culture in Ubud with all the creativity of its development. As with the nature of tourists in general, backpacker tourists visiting Ubud prefer unique and authentic culture, this has revived the emergence of the sharing of performing arts served to tourists, such as barong dance performances in Peliatan Village, legong dances at Puri Ubud and others. , as well as the creativity of the people of Ubud to make various sculptures and paintings that are sold to tourists as souvenirs.

Conclution

         Backpacker tourists in the Ubud tourism area have an impact on the economy, socio-culture and the environment. The impact in the economic sector includes the growth and development of local culinary businesses, tourism businesses in the field of cheap accommodation, the development of natural tourism businesses such as rafting, tracking and cycling which provide opportunities for business and work so as to reduce the flow of urbanization. In the socio-cultural sector, the impact includes the development of cultural preservation efforts through creativity in the fields of dance, painting and sculpture for tourist consumption. The arrival of tourists in the Ubud tourism area also contributed to the worsening of congestion due to the unavailability of optimal parking lots. Backpacker tourists who tend to stay at budget hotels are directly more environmentally friendly because they don't use hot water, buth up and air conditioning, compared to conventional tourists who stay in star-rated hotels with all the luxury amenities.