POSITIVE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF MAJOR WARS AND OTHER CATASTROPHIC EVENTS IN CREATING POTENTIAL TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN ACEH
Presented during a Training Course on “Modern Hotel Management”
in Ha`erbin City, Hailongjiang Province, China
By: Rahmadhani, M.Bus [1]

ABSTRACT:

Undeniably, wars and catastrophic events have given negative impacts towards human lives. They can heavily damage all aspects of lives -- social, economic, cultural, political, educational and environmental. The First and Second World Wars and Aceh Tsunami in the last December 2004 are such horrific examples that have truly been unforgettable frightening nightmares within human life. They had resulted in the deepest misery, loss and devastation for those living within the periods, not to mention thousands of people were tragically killed and lost their family members during the tragedies.
On the other hand, from the tourism point of view as one of world’s rapid growing economic industries, such wars or other catastrophic events will result in positive impacts for people. Creating and maintaining post-war historic and Tsunami sites, for example, have become significant markets of tourism destinations in the efforts to increase valuable foreign exchange and job opportunities for the locals.

I. Introduction
Tourism has emerged as an industry that will play a vital role in promoting future economic and social development. It is an industry that will impact on diverse range of economic activities and contribute significantly to job growth and export earnings. Thomson (1998) mentions that tourism is also an industry, which if carefully managed, can help conserve unique natural and cultural heritage. As tourism is also associated with travel to certain unique places, however, tourist destinations or places to which a tourist is travelling are considered an important component in tourism systems. In other words, Dickman (1994) points out that the most important single feature is that a destination must have an attraction which can range from a notable historic spot, to a pretty, scenic location, or a place where some special event is taking places.
In addition, pull factors are such influential factors or forces that can motivate tourists’ interest to particular tourist destinations. These factors can potentially encourage or dissuade tourist traffic to any particular destination, which are focused on the supply side of the tourism equation, such as product or destination-based forces (Weaver, 2000). However, attractions, access, accommodation, amenities and activities are such five major requirements of a tourist destination or commonly called as the five ‘A’s requirements. These requirements will play each major role in attracting tourists’ interest to any tourism destination. A destination must have all the requirements to some degree, although they need not be equally in balance, and of course they need not be of the same quality and consistency for each potential destination (Dickman, 1994). Nevertheless, as the attractions are the most important aspect in determining destination for tourists and are still closely linking to other four aspects, they will therefore be more focused in this article.

2. Aceh: its devastating conflict and Tsunami
Aceh is Indonesia’s westernmost province with an estimated population of about 4.2 million (Aceh Statistical Data, 2008). Aceh had been in a worse 30 year armed conflict between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and Indonesia Military (TNI). During the conflict approximately 15.000 people were claimed dead or missing. Besides the conflict, Aceh at last also experienced unprecedented earthquake with a magnitude of 8.9 Richter scale and followed by a deadly wave “Tsunami” in last December 2004. The two tragedies have been agonies and resulted in the greater loss of life and tremendous destruction and brought the economy of Aceh into jeopardy with a massive devastation of physical capitals as well as human resources in most developed areas in Aceh.
Aceh now is in turn under a big work of “Redevelopment” through the Process of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction with the support of a signed peace agreement to end up the hostility between the Indonesian Government and Aceh Free Movement (GAM) on August 15th, 2005 in Helsinki. It should be an important momentum to “build together Aceh back better” with sincerity and dignity.

3. Impacts of wars and catastrophe in creating tourist attractions
“War” according to Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language (1982) is defined as “open armed conflict as between nations” or “any active hostility or struggle. As previously mentioned that wars or other catastrophic events can result in both negative and positive effects for people.
The history of wars, battlefields including military cemeteries, fortresses, bunkers, barracks, museums, GAM’s guerrilla tracks and Tsunami sites are among the most popular tourist attractions nowadays. According to Smith (1996) quoted by Weaver (2000) that battlefields are among the popular of all tourists attractions, which points to the irony that the long-term impacts of war on tourism are probably more positive than negative. Nevertheless, it takes some time for those to plan and arrange those historic sites as tourism attraction due to a war image, emotion and psychology of people to the tragic wars or other catastrophic events occurred.
Moreover, visiting historical and Tsunami sites, rather than natural tourism, which are based upon features of the exotic natural environment, for examples, has always been a popular trend nowadays both by domestic and international travellers. Purposes of sightseeing, education for historical study or research on the life-style of important events of bygone era and
engagement of remembrance with the past can be regarded as main motives for those visiting historical and Tsunami sites.
In addition, visitors to historic theme parks, for example, are motivated by an interest in history and desire to learn and discover how people lived in the past. Perceived authenticity as well as the ‘atmosphere’ associated with the historic buildings are also important motives (Foo, A. & Rosetto, A. quoted in Moscardo and Pearce, 1998). However, Pizam A. and Manfield, Y. (1996) suggested that tourism to war-related sites for tourists will also impact on their personality towards pride and social, political and economic aspirations and their fulfilment.

4. Tourism to war and tsunami-related sites
There are many tourism objects to war and catastrophic-related sites. Those are professionally designed in order to meet and attract tourists’ interest. The histories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan and the reunification between West Germany and East Germany are such examples of many other conspicuous creation of historical tourist attraction. Such historical tourist sites, however, have attracted tourists’ interest in order to perceive how the two cities were tragically bombarded by the US Armies, which claimed hundred thousands of people’ lives and heavily devastated all vital infrastructure.
The history of “the Berlin Wall” has also been famous. The history began with the fall of “the Berlin Wall”, which has separated the German people between the two countries for decades. Psychologically, the devastation and reunification become the most historic and momentous events among the people. No wonder, many foreign tourists prioritize to visit such historic sites and then others, such as Plotzensee Memorial and Concentration Camps in Germany.
Similarly, in Indonesia, Lubang Buaya or Crocodile Holes is one of many other famous historical sites. It has become a popular historical attraction for tourists. The true story began with the dramatic tortures and killings of the six Indonesian army generals and one-army officers in an abortive communist inspired by coup d'etat on October 1, 1965. The centerpiece is the Pancasila Monument with statues of the seven heroes, standing near the old well in which their bodies were thrown after having sadistically been tortured and executed. Thus, the monument and a museum depicting the catastrophic events were established for their honors.
The historic sites of the former war in the former Yugoslavia are also fascinating. Many foreign tourists have already traveled to Sarajevo. Most travels are motivated to gaze at sites of some of the worst aspects of the conflicts including the tours incorporated with the notorious sniper alley (the main street where many civilians were killed) and the sites of the slaughter of twenty-one persons next to the Catholic Cathedral. The ruined Olympic stadium, the battle-scared mosque and other tragic reminders of the wars are such other famous historic sites for tourist destination (Lennon and Foley, 2000).
Further, Aceh with its new phenomenon “post armed conflict and tsunami tragedy” with an estimated people of about 200 000 was claimed dead or missing, not mention a massive devastation of physical capitals, has been a new, famous tourist destination in the westernmost Indonesia. Most tourists travelled to Aceh are similarly motivated to perceived people’s emotional feeling during the armed conflict and catastrophe, to learn how the people survived and their resilience when they lost their family and wealth and to view the remains of destruction by the tsunami as well as to visit the mass graves where thousands of dead bodied were buried and other famous war and tsunami-related sites that are worth to be visiting especially by young generation for education purposes.

5. Conclusions
Wars and catastrophes arguably connote negative meanings towards human civilizations and have resulted in much misery, loss and devastation for people throughout history. The First and Second World Wars, earthquakes and Tsunami in Aceh, for example, have been unforgettable catastrophic memories along human civilization with the worst impact of wars. Nevertheless, a large number of sites associated with war, genocide, assassination and other tragic events have become famous historic tourist destinations.
More importantly, the development of a range of infrastructures and supporting tourism industry to support the war and tsunami-related sites is considerably important that can motivate tourists’ interest to the destinations. Thus, wars will give positive impacts in promoting tourism industry by creating and maintaining dramatic remainders of post-war and catastrophic sites for tourists’ visits.

Reference and bibliography
Dickman, S. (1994) Tourism: An Introductory Text, 2nd ed.Edward Arnold Australia.
Foo, Lee Mei & Rosetto, A. (1998) Cultural Tourism in Australia: Characteristics and Motivations, Bureau of Tourism Research, Canberra.
Inskeep, E. (1991) Tourism Planning: An Integrated and Sustainable Development Approach, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Leiper, N. (1995) Tourism Management, RMIT Press, Collingwood.
Lennon, J & Foley, M. (2000) Dark Tourism: The Attraction of Death and Disaster, York Road, London.
Pizam A. and Manfield, Y. (1996) Tourism, Crime and International Security Issues, Chichester: Wiley.
Thomson, A. (1998) Tourism: A Ticket to the 21st Century, Commonwealth of Australia, Office of National Tourism, Canberra.
Weaver, D. & Oppermann, M. (2000), Tourism Management, John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.
Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language (1982),2nd College Edition, New York
http://jakartatravel.com./indonesia_jakarta_attraction_lubangbuaya.htm. Academic Research Library, March 15, 2008.
[1]
- An AusAID-based master graduate in Tourism Industrial Management of the Victoria University of Technology (VUT), Melbourne, Australia (2001-2003),
- KOICA’s Alumni of Capacity Building Training on SME’s Entrepreneurship, Seoul, South Korea (2006),
- An Australian Leadership Award (ALA) Fellowship Winner in the “Economic Management Capacity Building Program for Aceh Administrators of the Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, Australia (2007)
- Participant of Capacity Building Training on Modern Hotel Management Seminar of Harbin University of Commerce HUC, China, September (2008),
- Director for Tourism Promotion, Marketing Department, Aceh Tourism and Culture Agency, Indonesia (2008 - Presently),
- Contact Person Number: Hp: +62 651 8126907873 Email: dani111170@yahoo.com