Chapter Nineteen

Digital Acceptance and Resilience in Rural Tourism

Destination: A Case of Bali
I Gede Gian Saputra
Tourism Department
Bali Tourism Polytechnic
Indonesia

and

Putu Diah Sastri Pitanatri*

School of Postgraduate of Tourism Studies
Universitas Gadjah Mada
Indonesia

*E-mail of the corresponding author: diahsastri@mail.ugm.ac.id

Cite this chapter:
Saputra, I.G.G., Pitanatri, P.D.S. (2022). Digital Acceptance and Resilience in Rural Tourism Destination: A Case of Bali. In:
Hassan, A., Sharma, A., Kennell, J., Mohanty, P. (eds) Tourism and Hospitality in Asia: Crisis, Resilience and Recovery.
Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5763-5_18

Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has altered the global landscape's perception of tourist resilience. Everything
is changing, and Bali's rural tourism destination is no exception. The formerly traditional
management style has evolved into something more modern and digital; it was quite different
prior to the pandemic. This chapter emphasize the digital acceptance and resilience of post-
pandemic destinations through a thorough examination of twenty villages in Bali. It was
discovered that villages in Bali share five features, including the following: 1) Extremely disjointed,
2) Government Mode, 3) Hybrid, 4) Visionary, and 5) High tech adaptability. Additionally, this study
confirms that resilience is inextricably tied to local people's reliance on and dependence on local
government. Indeed, the findings indicate that technopreneurship, Creative economy and tourism-
focused community development are three main reasons why certain rural destinations have been
resilience throughout the pandemic.

Keywords: rural tourism destination, digital acceptance, resilience, Bali

Introduction
Rural tourism refers to the appeal of nature or rural places, such as villages, farms, and heritage
(Mitchell & Hall, 2005; Kalaiya, 2015; Zoto et al., 2013). In Indonesia, particularly in Bali, the rural
tourism business is extremely niche, catering only to a tiny group of travelers. This is a completely
distinct market segment than popular tourist locations or mass tourism. As Bali is famed for its
beaches, a rural location needs special tourist motivation, desire, and interest.

Rural tourism has been a popular policy in a number of countries due to its critical role in resolving
development issues. In China, Korea, England, Malaysia, Finland, and Norway, empirical evidence
has established the critical significance of tourist villages in promoting economic growth, lowering
unemployment, and stimulating education in rural areas (Ayazlar & Ayazlar, 2016). Since 2009,

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Indonesia has made rural tourism a national policy priority in order to alleviate poverty through the
PNPM Mandiri Tourism Acceleration Program (Damanik, 2013; Damanik et al., 2020). Consistently,
when the concept of ‘‘Building Indonesia from the Village Outskirts’’ emerged in 2014, the central
government's support for the development of rural tourism became increasingly apparent. The
2014 Villages Law and the 2017 Presidential Directive on the Movement to Develop Rural tourism
established a strong synergy. a national strategy that prioritizes village development through rural
tourism (Trieha, 2015). According to the Central Bureau of Statistics the number of rural tourism in
Indonesia has increased from 144 in 2009 to 1,734 in 2018 (InfoPublik.com, 2018).

Parallel to this program, the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and
Transmigration has set an ambitious aim of 7,275 rural tourism (9.71 percent) in 2019 and 10,000 in
2020. The Ministry believes that over the last four years, village funds have generated significant
income for village communities solely through tourist villages (AntaraNews.com, 2019).
Additionally, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has set a goal of 2000 tourist
settlements by the end of 2019 (Petriella, 2019). The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy's
commitment to rural tourism is also demonstrated by the continual training of trainers in assisting
rural tourism for university professors. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, in
collaboration with the Ministry of Villages, is increasingly committed to enhancing the quality of
human resources in tourist villages through the Mentoring-Based Rural tourism Community
Empowerment Program (Maskur, 2020). National policy support for tourist villages is very
reasonable due to a number of multiplier effects associated with their development, including: (1)
increased living standards, (2) preservation of indigenous arts and culture, (3) growth of SMEs as
the driving force of the creative economy, (4) promotion of indigenous products, and (5)
preservation of village agrarian nature (local pride). This argument demonstrates how rural
tourism is becoming increasingly crucial in achieving Indonesia's objective of sustainable
development.

On the other hand, the establishment of rural village encounters significant obstacles in practice.
The growing popularity of linear tourism settlements, which offer increasingly competitive tourism
products. Indeed, not every rural tourism is visited by tourists or is unable to attract tourists.
Behind the success of growing the number of tourist villages is the growth of tourist villages that
are stagnant or even in decline. The initial impression is one of a pretty uniform tourist product.
This means that trip packages including attractions and activities in one hamlet are nearly identical
to those offered in other communities. In this instance, a village imitates other communities’
tourism charms (Damanik, 2013). This justification is a significant indicator of the human resources’
(or the village communities') incapacity to package and promote the village's potential,
uniqueness, and advantages in accordance with market and time expectations.

In 2020, Bali’s tourism development faced tremendous obstacles as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic— which had a significant influence on the existence of rural tourism. Tourist movement
activities are severely restricted during the epidemic, rendering tourist communities unable of
operating normally. On a deeper level, the rural tourism region does have a high degree of
complexity in terms of pandemic response, as it is populated by individuals who live together. This
indicates that the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to villages is extremely real and has the
potential to have a significant impact. What is intriguing is that many experts suggest that in the
event of a pandemic, tourist villages will be a strategic choice for travelers in the future. Rural
tourism is believed to offer a variety of competitive benefits, including wide areas and proximity
to nature, which enables them to maintain health protocols while traveling.

Rural tourism, on the other hand, is less popular among academics than sustainable tourism
research (Christou et al., 2019; Situmorang et al., 2019). The rationale is straightforward:

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sustainability issues are ‘‘sexy’’ and extremely attractive topics for tourism scholars to address on
both a national and worldwide basis. Whereas rural tourism is a critical driver of local economic
growth; in particular, in Bali, tourism originates in the village. Rural tourism stimulates the
innovation of local communities and the growth of local entrepreneurs, which contributes to
income equality (Bosworth & Farrell, 2011; Pitanatri, 2018; Pitanatri & Pitana, 2019).

Especially in Bali, tourist villages have been widely studied in various perspectives such as (Arida,
2010; Law et al., 2016; Putra & Paturusi, 2017), yet there is essentially no literature examining tourist
villages' resilience in the context of digital literacy following the COVID-19 epidemic. Therefore, to
fill the research gap, this chapter will be divided into three main topics. First, the existing condition
of tourist villages in Bali. This section is intended to provide an overview of the condition of rural
tourism in Bali. This is important to discuss so that the rural tourism landscape in Bali can be
mapped comprehensively. Second, the typology of tourist villages in Bali is based on its digital
acceptance. The second discussion will take a deeper look at the resilience potential of tourist
villages in facing the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first two sections will form the
basis for the preparation of the third section, namely traditional Village Revitalization: A
sustainable livelihood approach in the tourism context. This section will discuss three main factors
supporting the resilience of rural tourism in Bali, namely: 1) technopreneurship, 2) creative
economy, and 3) tourism-focused community development.

The Existing Condition of Rural Tourism Destination in Bali

Being Indonesia’s most popular tourist destination Bali, has been hardest hit by the outbreak.
Since the epidemic was declared in Indonesia in March 2020, Bali's economy— which is based on
tourism, has collapse. Hotels are vacant and the tourist attractions are deserted, resulting in Bali's
economic downturn due to Bali's dependence on the tourism sector with no alternative sectors as
“plan B”. Nonetheless, Bali retains its optimism. Rural tourism is a viable option for future tourism
growth due to its unique position and accessibility to nature. Balinese communities in rural areas
have retained their original characteristics, with strong cultural links and linkages. The enticing
conditions are based on a collaboration between Godevi 1 and twenty rural tourism destinations
spread over several districts of Bali. The following summarizes the current state of rural tourism
used in the study.

Ease of access to planning documents

Close analysis and in-depth exploration reveal that the majority of rural tourism lack or lack a
rural tourism master plan. Only three of the twenty partner rural tourism have a master plan in
place, and one community is still in the cultivation stage. This demonstrates that the majority of
villages in Bali is lack comprehensive tourism development plans. Inadequate planning is the
primary reason that rural tourism destination does not flourish, and some of them do not attract
any tourist.

Main attractions of tourist village

The majority of the major attractions are geared toward natural tourism. Thirteen of the twenty
rural tourism destinations are based on natural tourist features. Waterfalls, rivers, rice fields,
plantations, natural landscapes, and hills are all examples of natural tourism that are employed as
tourist attractions. Six tourist villages are based on cultural tourism attractions, while one is based
on spiritual tourism attractions. Traditions, historical sites/relics, handicrafts, dances, and people's
way of life all qualify as cultural attractions. Among the spiritual tourism activities that stand out in
tourist villages are "melukat" activities, or self-purification through the use of purified spring
water.

1
Godevi is a local platform aims to help marketing and tourism promotion in rural areas www.godestinationvillage.com

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Actor/rural tourism manager
According to the data, the actors involved in the establishment and operation of tourist villages
are primarily official villages. Whereas sixteen tourist villages are operated by official villages, three
are operated by traditional villages, and one is operated by individuals/community organizations.
According to the data, 16 tourist villages are driven by official villages, while up to five tourist
villages are also aided directly by members of the community, traditional villages, and others are
aided by local governments. Generally, most rural villages in Bali have well-defined structures and
are governed by BUMDes (village-owned enterprises). Numerous tourist villages have also
established management organizations to oversee their tourism operations.

Rural tourism ownership

The rural tourism's assets, such as attractions, amenities, and accessibility, are owned by a
variety of entities. The majority of attractions are owned by the official village, which is handled by
the customary village; thus, ownership is retained by the customary village. However, when
considering facilities such as lodging, the restaurant is still dominated by the community
individually. Additionally, the area has various tourist attractions that are owned by community
groups. The Sibetan Rural tourism, namely salak agro-tourism, is one of the tourist villages whose
tourist attractions are owned by community organizations. There are other communities with
government-owned attractions, such as Glagah Linggah Rural tourism, which is owned by the
Forestry Service. According to the data in the table, 16 tourist villages have tourism assets that are
owned by the official village, two rural tourism have tourism assets that are owned by traditional
villages, and one rural tourism is owned by the government.

Collaboration model
According to the data collected, the majority of rural tourism sampled in the study engage with
the government, industry, e-commerce, and the media to build rural tourism destinations.
Collaboration is critical for rural tourism to promote rural tourism activities or activities that will
accelerate the development of rural tourism. Tourist villages in the modern digital era do not rely
solely on collaboration with the government and industry (travel agencies and lodging enterprises)
for marketing and visitor attraction. They are, however, developing their network of collaborations
with e-commerce enterprises and media outlets, both social (Internet) and traditional (print)
media, for the purpose of selling rural tourism products. All village engage with the government,
industry, e-commerce, and the media to grow tourist villages, as evidenced by the data.

Tourist experience model

The mode of experience or the type of experience supplied, whether for tourists with an
acceptable number of tourist attraction capacity, or for mass tourists (tourists in big groups), or
for experiences that can be done with a small or large number of tourists. numerous (mixed). Close
investigation reveals that the rural tourism's experience mode is more of a hybrid experience
mode, namely a tourist experience that may be enjoyed by tourists in small or big numbers.
Thirteen of the twenty tourist communities offer a hybrid experience, while nine offer a FIT
experience.

Digital literacy
According to the data, eleven of the twenty rural tourism still have a low level of digital literacy,
seven have a moderate level of digital literacy, and two have a high level of digital literacy. Digital
literacy refers to a tourist village's human resources' ability to operate in the digital realm of
technology and information. The study indicates that human resources in villages continue to have
a poor level of digital literacy. Human resources are actually essential in this technological age to
capitalize on quick technological advancements in rural tourism marketing. The comparatively low
degree of human resource competency indicates that rural tourism staff should obtain digital

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training, particularly in order to display engaging information in the village. Human resources in
tourist villages with medium or intermediate digital capabilities must continue to seek to increase
their capabilities in order to stay up with changing times. According to the research, there are two
villages with human resources that are particularly strong in the digital realm: Sayan Rural tourism
and Pejeng Rural tourism. Sayan Village is reported to have strong digital capabilities since the
village's human resources involved in tourism are the younger generation; they promote the village
aggressively online by exhibiting engaging information in tourist villages. So that in the event of a
pandemic, this community can get tourist visitors. Pejeng Village is regarded as having strong
digital capabilities due to its success in developing virtual tour activities and marketing them
internationally, especially to Japan.

Social media engagement

Based on the data, sixteen rural tourism businesses have passive social media interactions,
while just three rural tourism businesses have active social media integration and two rural tourism
businesses do not yet have social media. This demonstrates that the majority of partner rural
tourism have social media, but with passive interactions, such as social media pages that are rarely
updated, comments on social media are not responded to, and even rural tourism social media
pages do not feature interesting tourist activities, indicating that social media users are also
uninterested in visiting the social media pages of tourist villages.

Innovation in rural tourism

There are eight tourist villages with lack of innovation, nine that have a medium level of
innovation, and three that have a high level of innovation. On the basis of these findings, it can be
concluded that many villages exhibit a modest level of innovation. This demonstrates the
importance of rural tourism destinations innovating in the creation of rural tourism products,
particularly in terms of packaging and marketing. For villages that use the same product packaging
as other villages, they must innovate in order to differentiate their product packaging from other
villages; this will strengthen one tourist village's ability to thrive and compete. Marketing
innovation is also critical in order to keep up with advances and changing times.

Typology of Digital Acceptance and Resilience in Rural Tourism

After examining the most recent conditions observed in twenty tourist villages during the
pandemic, it is clear that there are five distinct village typologies based on their level of digital
acceptance and resilience, namely: 1) Deeply disconnected, 2) Government mode, 3) hybrid, 4)
Visionary, and 5) High Tech adaptability, as illustrated in Table 1 below.

Typology Deeply Government Hybrid Visionary High-tech

Disconnected Mode adaptability
Actors Local Government POKDARWIS POKDARWIS Local
community (Tourism (Tourism technopreneurship
(Older awareness awareness Close collaboration
generation / group) group) with the local
government and
investors
Planning Not Not Be in place Be in place Be in place
Applicable Applicable

Management Government- Government- Transition of a Local A rural tourism that

established established rural tourism community is fully managed by
tourist village tourist from private local private sector
village administration to
government
management

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 Typology Deeply Government Hybrid Visionary High-tech
Disconnected Mode adaptability
Innovation Lack Limited. This Moderate Advance Advance:
is due to a packaging, social
lack of media,
innovation
space as a
result of
hierarchical
limitations.

Collaboration Lack Moderate Moderate Advance Government,

association, Godevi

Social Media Not Not Moderate Advance Actively engage in

engagement applicable applicable social media; often
invite influencers
Digital Poor Poor Moderate Advance Advance
Literacy

Experience Mass Mass Moderate Small group Small group and FIT
mode and FIT

Innovation. Low Low Moderate Advance High

Resilience Low Moderate Moderate Advance High

Level

Table 1: Rural Tourism Typologies (source: authors’ construct, 2021)

Village Revitalization: A Sustainable Livelihood Approach in the Tourism Context

Tourism is frequently viewed as a development tool in a variety of circumstances. Numerous
study findings attest to the fact that tourism has finally surpassed manufacturing as the fastest
growing sector of the economy (Nunkoo, 2015; Pitanatri, 2018; Xiang, 2018). What is interesting,
though, is the endeavors to retain the community’s customs and culture while tourism develops.
For instance, with the growth of tourist villages, old practices are being re-examined in order to
become distinctive and characteristic. Apart from preserving culture, revitalizing traditional
villages is critical for ensuring sustained tourism development (Ruhanen, 2010; Zoto et al., 2013).
This is the best way for rural tourism managers interested in creating sustainable tourism.

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 Figure 1: Factors Contributing to the Revitalization of Traditional Rural tourism in Bali (source:
authors’ construct, 2021)

Technopreneurship: Managing productive and creative volunteers

In the development of tourist villages in Bali, there are local pioneers who are willing to sacrifice
in building their village. Entrepreneurial spirit is critical to the village’s tourism success.
Incorporating digital technologies and managing rural tourism provides an opportunity to learn
about entrepreneurship and technology. This becomes even more critical in light of the expanding
market's desire for a one-of-a-kind product or experience. With this attitude, the manager of the
rural tourism may handle tourism resources effectively, improving the village's visibility. Further
research indicates that developing tourism in a village is distinct from managing more exclusive
tourist. This development requires a sincere mindset, particularly in the setting of traditional
communities whose livelihoods are dominated by agriculture (Pitanatri, 2016).

Technopreneurship is a term that combines the phrases technology and entrepreneurship. In a

nutshell, technopreneurship is entrepreneurship in the sphere of technology, where not only
entrepreneurial abilities are required, but also understanding of cutting-edge technology (Rosly et
al., 2015). This word is relatively new and has grown in use in tandem with the advancement of
technology. To describe technopreneurship in an academic context, two factors must be
considered: research and commercialization. The term ‘‘research’’ refers to the process of
discovery and addition to science. Commercialization is the process of profitably transferring
research or technological outputs from the laboratory to the market (Scarlat, 2014).
Commercialization options include licensing, partnering, or selling the technology to others who
will commercialize it.

Technology is a procedure or method for processing something in order to achieve greater cost
and time efficiency and thus a higher quality outcome. The fundamentals of technical creation
include market requirements, problem solutions, applications of diverse scientific domains,
enhancements to production effectiveness and efficiency, and modernization (Fowosire & Idris,
2017).

Numerous technopreneurs have succeeded in commercializing technology in this society,

transforming it into a widely acknowledged product. Successful technopreneurs include Henry
Ford, who invented the Ford automobile, and Soichiro Honda, who founded the Honda brand of

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automobiles and motorbikes. They conduct study independently, motivated by their own interests
and aspirations. Not all of his scientific findings proved instantly commercially viable. According to
Soichiro Honda; founder of Honda Motor.co.ltd; 99 percent of his career path was unsuccessful,
and only 1% resulted in success (Seeken.org, 2017).

There is a distinction between traditional entrepreneurship and technopreneurship. Technology

entrepreneurship must succeed in two primary tasks: ensuring that the technology meets the
needs of the target consumer and that the technology can be sold profitably. Ordinary
entrepreneurship, on the other hand, focuses exclusively on the second aspect, namely profit-
making.

Technopreneurship is a result of creativity and innovation. A new invention that attempts to make
life easier is referred to as an invention. Innovation is the process by which a market mechanism
adopts an invention (Fowosire & Idris, 2017; Rosly et al., 2015). There are two categories of
inventions and innovations: product-related inventions and innovations and process-related
inventions and innovations. Technopreneurs are those who initiate ideas and build products in the
realm of technology. They are able to combine their expertise through product creations/ideas
created with entrepreneurial abilities through the selling of items produced on the market.

The numerous advancements began with study and new discoveries in the realm of technology
(inventions), which were then developed in such a way that they benefited both the creators and
the user community. The phenomena of business development in the technology sector begins
with innovative ideas generated in numerous research institutes (usually universities) that can be
transformed into products with market value. Thus, technopreneurship is the combination
between of technology (scientific and technological capabilities) and entrepreneurialism (self-
employed to generate profits through business processes).

At the moment, technological advancements are mostly the product of synergies between
creative idea owners (technopreneurs), who are typically linked with various research institutions
(such as universities), and sources of money for business. The interaction of these three factors
has facilitated the growth of technology enterprises in a number of countries, including Silicon
Valley in the United States, Bangalore in India, and several other countries. In Indonesia, the three
parties' cooperation has not been fully developed. The establishment of numerous innovation
centers and business incubators in the field of technology at several colleges and research
organizations is a great step toward developing Indonesia's technopreneurship (Diharjo, 2014).

Inventions and innovations generate technopreneurship that aid in developing huge and
sophisticated industries. Technopreneurship can also be used to serve individuals with limited
economic capabilities and to enhance their quality of life. Thus, technopreneurship is projected to
contribute to the advancement of sustainable development.

Technopreneurship has been critical in advancing the use of technology for a variety of objectives.
To begin, it facilitates communication between people and leads in some unexpected goods and
solutions that work for many (Mopangga, 2015; Scarlat, 2014). Additionally, technopreneurs
contribute to the nation's economic and human development by providing additional benefits to
society and the nation. Among the numerous advantages are the following:

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Creating job opportunities
When any type of business just started, job possibilities expand since the business requires
employees to manage all of its operations. Similarly, technopreneurship generates jobs and aids
the nation in combating unemployment. It enhances an economy's employment rate.

Local resources
Numerous natural and productive resources are accessible to entrepreneurs to help them
succeed in business. Utilizing indigenous resources raises their value and decreases resource
waste. Business diversification and decentralization. An Entrepreneur can find out business
opportunities and place them in suitable areas including remote areas.

Technological advancement
By being creative and innovative technopreneurs, they play an important role in the field of
technology utilization and development.

Capital formation
Investment is a necessary component of business, and entrepreneurs require capital to launch
and grow their enterprises. They obtain financial help from investors and financiers and profit from
huge investments that stimulate economic growth.

Promotion of entrepreneurial activities

The younger generation has the option to work with these technopreneurship firms and gain
knowledge about how to succeed. Additionally, it inspires these teammates and employees to
expand and launch their own businesses.

Technopreneurship is not a product but rather a process for human invention through the use of
technology. It is all about improving an organization, a country, or the planet through the use of
technological advancements. This form of entrepreneurship has resulted in numerous benefits,
including cost savings for other enterprises.

Creative economy
The current COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged the emergence of numerous solutions aimed
at reviving the tourism sector. Rural places, which appear to be disconnected from modern
development, experience unique situations. This is the period when younger generation of Bali
who used to work in the hospitality sector; return to their village as a result of the tourism
industry's collapse in major locations. A fresh perspective is required when monitoring this
circumstance in order to see the opportunities rather than the problems itself.

Human resources who have dedicated themselves to the tourism industry’s premier hospitality
services must return home and live in the village in order to survive, or in other words, ‘‘search for
new chances’’. Numerous occupation, such as general managers of hotels or chefs from
international restaurants, have chosen to reside in villages during this uncertain period. The
presence of qualified human resources creates an excellent chance for the community to tap into
the previously untapped potential.

As a benefactor of the village economy, the creative economy is encouraged to expand its horizons
beyond tourism. Even in the framework of developing a tourist hamlet, the creative economy is
used as an attraction. As an illustration, tourism in Sayan Village, Bali, has grown in lockstep with
the rise of Ubud tourism. What is remarkable is that Sayan was only designated a rural tourism in
2020, at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. In fact, it has been a worldwide village since the
1920s. This conclusion is clearly justified by a variety of factors, including the potential and

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opportunities that may be fulfilled. From the start of the town's pioneering development, Sayan
Village partnered with Start-up Godevi to achieve diverse innovation through a combination of
tourism and creative economy.

Numerous roadblocks were met during the process of eliciting innovative economic ideas,
including limited transit options, unequal community mastery of technology, and the public's low
purchasing power, including potential tourists. Sayan Village chose to focus on combining
technology with community involvement and on potential business demands from the various
concepts created. As a Godevi-affiliated tourism hamlet, Sayan Village offers a number of packages
that may be accessed through the Godevi website and mobile application, as represented in the
following figure.

Figure 2: Sayan Village Tour Packages on the Godevi Website (source: GoDestinationVillage.com,
2021)

Additionally, Sayan Village and Godevi achieved a breakthrough in digital innovation by packaging
tourism sites in Sayan Village into a virtual tour. This innovation is beneficial as a back-up plan to
ensure the sustainability of Sayan Village's tourism operations throughout the pandemic. Figure 3
illustrates these digital advancements.

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Figure 3: Virtual Tour Sayan village in collaboration with Godevi (source: authors’ documentation,
2021)

Godevi conducted two virtual tour events at Sayan Rural tourism in 2020. The first virtual tour was
created in partnership with students from Bali Tourism Polytechnic's Travel Business Management
Program and the village of Pokdarwis Sayan. The inaugural virtual tour focused on Sayan Village's
Cultural Heritage (CHSE), with the goal of highlighting and introducing the potential of MSMEs that
have developed into a tourist attraction in Sayan Village. Several of the events on this virtual tour
highlight the activities of Sayan Village's MSMEs, including painting activities by Young Artist
artists, spiritual healing activities, and village sightseeing. Which is unique about this virtual tour
activity and distinguishes it from other virtual tour activities in which participants connect digitally
with spiritual healers at Sayan Rural tourism. Additionally, interactive sessions with Young Artist
artists will take place throughout painting lessons. The inaugural virtual tour activity drew a lot of
enthusiasm and excellent feedback from the approximately 90 participants.

The success of the first virtual tour at Sayan Rural tourism drew the attention of one of the
country's largest news organizations, CNN Indonesia. Which then culminated in July 2021 with
Godevi hosting another virtual tour in Sayan Rural tourism with the subject "Heal Your Mind with
Sayansation" in conjunction with CNN Indonesia. In the second virtual tour, the tourist activities
are still sophisticated innovative economic activities, such as laughter yoga, which is conducted
both offline and online. The second activity is painting with young artists, and the third is
demonstrating spiritual healing techniques, which participants can test online by requesting luck
with their soul match, profession, and health. Additionally, this virtual tour showcases and reviews
local culinary companies that are thriving in Sayan Rural tourism, as well as the potential for
developing natural tourism. Pandemic is not a grounds for tourist villages to cease operations.

Sayan Rural tourism is one of the dynamic tourist villages that has not been silent in the face of the
Covid-19 pandemic's attack. While some of the village's human resources are unfamiliar with the
technical components of digital media, they are motivated and eager to learn. Not only is the
pandemic a threat to Sayan Rural tourism, but it also presents an opportunity for the development
of new tourism activities that can aid in the development of tourist villages. Pandemics, for
example, are requiring managers of tourist villages to react through the use of digital technologies.
The success of the Sayan village virtual tour demonstrates that this hamlet has successfully
adapted to technology use. The community's resources, which include young artists, spiritual
healers, yoga instructors, and culinary instructors, as well as the manager of the rural tourism and

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the ranks of the Sayan Rural tourism administration, have a common goal for establishing and
progressing the tourist village. This achievement is also inextricably linked to the figure of the
village leader, who continues to inspire his people, particularly the younger generation, to remain
engaged. This instills in indigenous people the spirit and determination to adapt and survive in the
face of a pandemic. In certain ways, the example of a leader is also critical in overcoming
pandemics that are still in their infancy.

Additionally, as evidenced by the development of tourism, Sayan Rural tourism is in the process of
becoming involved (Butler, 2006). This is demonstrated by the involvement of numerous village
elements in assisting in the strengthening of rural tourism government. Additionally, a
development stage has begun, as evidenced by tourism activities such as the construction of
melukat locations, the structuring of river flow lines, and the construction of access and supporting
infrastructure. The virtual tour became a driving force behind the emergence of a creative
economy in Sayan Village. This virtual tour aims to bring together authentic tourist experiences in
Sayan Village, which have been divided into two categories: Main Activities and Side Activities. The
primary activities include special interest tourist activities such as Young Artists' Authentic Village
Experiences and Spiritual Healing in Nature. Side activities such as seeing ancient temples can be
incorporated with The Authentic Sayan Historical Experience. Additionally, sport activities such as
water tubing, trekking, and cycling in the Subak bija rice fields are sponsored. The entire activity
can be crammed with real gastronomic delights such as Tuak, which has its own mythological story
in Sayan. Combine with popular Sayan cuisine such as Men Juwel, processed squid lawar & octopus
Warung D'Teba, Sayan Mek Koh rice, and traditional Bubuh Bali Warung Bijaku.

Until today, Sayan Rural tourism was managed by the local government through the Village Owned
Enterprises and aided by other support teams. The official village is synergized and supported
structurally by indigenous villages, community groups, and Sayan village authorities. Additionally,
there is also Sayan Village's Creative Team "Taru Prana". Together they have spent years of
inventorying, planning, and packaging traditional activities to visitors.

The pastoral beauty, strategic location, and comprehensive tourism support services all contribute
to this village's unique appeal to foreign travelers. Additionally, this community is developing other
tourism attractions, such as “angklung” traditional music. The idea is to maintain and renew
angklung music, the community provides training to younger generation in Sayan Rural tourism on
a quarterly basis. Apart from its music, this community is also well-known for its cuisine,
particularly chicken “Betutu” (Balinese traditional steamed chicken).

The creative economy that emerges in this town is extremely diverse and becomes the primary
driver of rural tourism development. As evidenced by the development of tourism, Sayan Rural
tourism is in the process of becoming involved (Butler, 2006). This is demonstrated by the
involvement of numerous village elements in assisting in the strengthening of rural tourism
government. Thus, a development stage has begun, as evidenced by tourism activities such as the
construction of melukat (Balinese water purification ceremony) locations, the structuring of river
flow lines, and the construction of access and supporting infrastructure.

In comparison to several other tourist villages, Godevi partner communities, including Sayan
Village, also work to find answers to the pandemic's impact. For instance, the village in Bangli
Regency that is one of Godevi's partner communities. The village's primary draw is its cultural
offerings. The layout of Penglipuran Rural tourism and the gate to the people's houses are
distinctive. Along with cultural tourism attractions that have existed for generations, tourism
development fosters the development of the region's creative economic activity. As the bulk of
the village community is employed as bamboo weaved craftsmen, this activity is facilitated by the

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availability of raw materials in this area, which has a sizable bamboo forest. Apart from being a
craft MSMEs, community of Penglipuran Rural tourism is a creative economic actor in the culinary
sector.

Sales of products from the creative economy, both artisan and culinary tourism communities, are
likewise reliant on tourists visiting the village. The pandemic halted many creative economy
initiatives in Penglipuran hamlet, dramatically reducing production of loloh cem-cem (Balinese
herbal drink) and other culinary items. As a means of assisting Penglipuran Rural tourism's creative
economic actors in surviving with numerous companies that grew during the Covid-19 epidemic,
including merchants of decorative plants or flower seedlings and also raising koi fish. Additionally,
individuals attempt to sustain their livelihoods through a variety of activities, including online
promotional efforts, online sales of craft and culinary products, and shuttle service delivery of craft
and culinary products.

Additionally, there is Paksebali Rural tourism, Godevi's partner rural tourism in Klungkung
Regency, which focuses on MSME operations as the primary tourist attraction. Whereas tourists
are invited to visit creative industry producing houses as part of tour village activities. Among the
innovative economic activities that attract tourists are endek (weaving crafts), gambelan (gong)
production, and tedung (traditional Balinese umbrella) and prada (traditional Balinese fabric)
manufacturing. Tourists can visit these artisan locations before to the outbreak and assist in the
manufacturing process. Since the outbreak, artisan communities have lost revenue from rural
tourism activities. As a result, people now rely on demand from markets unrelated to tourism.
MSMEs paksebali rural tourism are also rapidly promoting themselves online. The goods of
Paksebali Village's creative economy are widely used by the people of Bali, ensuring that the
community does not lose too much market share. This is a rather pragmatic technique, as it allows
for further tourism development without jeopardizing the community's identity.

The conditions that exist in the three tourist villages are such that the creative economy becomes
the ultimate item that can ensure the community's resilience and economic survival in the face of
a pandemic or other unforeseen circumstance. Supporting the resilience of tourism communities
requires focusing multiple tactics prior to the community feeling the full impact (Cheer & Lew,
2017; Dogru et al., 2019). Thus, dynamic tourist circumstances such as cycles can be balanced over
time, even if they eventually shift in an extreme direction.

This is also consistent with the findings of Cochrane (2010), who asserts that the resilience cycle
must be applied to policies and initiatives in order to be useful in tourism resilience. Tourism
resilience is a strategy for enhancing sustainability following an ecological or environmental
disaster, and it provides an alternative to sustainable development by enabling tourism to recover
from shocks (von der Weppen & Cochrane, 2012). Hence resilience can also be defined as the
capacity of an individual to confront, overcome, gain strength, and even undergo self-
transformation in the face of adversity, because it is in departing from adversity or misery that the
individual will discover the path to resolving the problems the individual has encountered. On this
basis, resilience might be defined as a mechanism for coping with and overcoming pressure. When
confronted with misery or pain, one of which being the economic downturn caused by the COVID-
19 epidemic, resilience develops into a strategy for maintaining identity.

Tourism-Focused Community Development

Local community is an inseparable part of a tourism destination. Therefore, the development
of tourism destinations must involve the community. Tourism destinations' sustainability is
strongly dependent on the extent of community involvement in their growth. Communities within
tourism destinations— referred to as local communities— have the opportunity to develop a

287
variety of activities into tourism products. Local culture, community tradition, and festivals all
contribute to the distinctiveness and novelty of a tourist destination.

In comparison to those from outside tourism locations, communities with indigenous knowledge
and policies will have a greater understanding of the tourism products generated and their
implications. Local communities also contribute to the promotion of tourism destination items, as
they are the primary factor in determining the image or image of tourism destinations (McCabe,
2019). Thus, the critical role of local communities in the development of sustainable tourism
destinations sparked the formation of a new trend in community-based tourism development.

Previous studies have stressed the importance of community-based tourism as a component of

sustainable tourism (Adongo et al., 2018; Baumber et al., 2019; Buckley, 2012). This strategy places
a higher premium on community involvement in the planning and development of tourism sites.
Tourism may directly benefit local communities through community involvement. With these
advantages, the community's acceptance, support, and tolerance for tourism will increase
optimum.

Local communities are inextricably linked to tourism destinations as a strategic component. Hence,
they should be included into the planning and development of tourism destinations to ensure that
they have room and opportunity to participate in the tourism planning process. The framework for
integration begins with a fundamental understanding of tourism destinations. Not only is there a
tourist sector (items, markets, and access) within a tourism destination, but also connections to
other industries, including local communities. Thus, the local community occupies a unique
strategic position and is on an equal footing with other decision makers (stakeholders) in the
development of sustainable tourism destinations.

Tourism-focused community development therefore emphasizes community involvement as a

critical component of achieving sustainable tourism development goals (Sharpley & Telfer, 2015).
This interpretation is consistent with Lee and Hsieh (2016) definition of community-based tourism
as "community involvement in tourism development". In this scenario, community participation
might take two forms: participation in decision-making and sharing tourism advantages.

Participating in decision-making enables the community to express its goals, desires, and concerns
about tourism growth, which can then be incorporated into the tourism planning process. While
participating in the sharing of tourism benefits implies that the community should have the chance
to profit financially from tourism and its connections to other sectors, it also implies that the
community should have the ability to benefit financially from tourism. As a result, tourism locations
should be able to generate jobs and economic possibilities, as well as provide training and
education to the local population about the benefits of tourism. The majority of the traits and
approaches to community-based tourism destination planning are derived from the transaction
planning and advocacy heritage. This tradition places a premium on defending minority groups and
devolving responsibility over social development to local communities in order to attain prosperity
(Hampton, 2005; Pitanatri, 2019). This is becoming increasingly apparent as the paradigm of
tourism development shifts away from mass to alternative tourism.

Alternative tourism is low-volume tourism that incorporates a variety of local components, most
notably local communities. Small-scale tourism development can maximize participation
opportunities for local populations (Pender & Sharpley, 2005). Creating places for community
participation in tourism development, demonstrating an equal standing with other decision
makers (government, investors, and tourists)

288
Local community involvement in tourist development is critical to guaranteeing the sustainability
of tourism growth. Local communities' involvement in tourism development is synonymous with
the terms participation, empowerment, and participatory planning (Sharpley, 2009, 2014). Local
communities have always been viewed as passive and reactive stakeholders (Daldeniz & Hampton,
2013). Local communities are regarded to be able to become proactive stakeholders through
tourist development. Tourism that is produced can be regarded as not only indigenous community-
based tourist, but also as indigenous community-led sustainable tourism development.

Local communities, when included in tourist planning and management processes, are able to
generate high-quality tourism products and experiences cooperatively and creatively (Zoto et al.,
2013). Local community-based tourism products are defined as tourist attraction factors developed
by local communities based on tourism resources or the community’s distinctiveness. Additionally,
tourism products can be discovered based on the local community’s uniqueness and their
suitability for the targeted consumer (Murphy et al., 2011). Tourism products are required to satisfy
tourists whose demand is constantly changing. Thus, tourism product creation should be able to
provide long-term prosperity for both local communities and the tourism industry. In an ideal
world, a tourist product would be founded on local communities, created effectively and
efficiently, prudently utilizing natural and cultural resources within the tourism destination or
tourism destination, and capable of meeting the expectations of an increasingly dynamic market.
The product notion, in general, refers to the commodities produced by an industry. Thus, tourism
products are commodities created by the tourism sector to suit the needs of individuals and groups
engaged in movement/travel and tourist activities in tourism locations (Bramwell, 2004; Smith,
1994; Watkins & Gnoth, 2011).

In his study, Smith (1994) stressed that tourism products may be explained from two perspectives,
namely the demand and supply sides. From a demand viewpoint, tourism products are anything
that can be given to the market, both present and potential markets and that may be obtained,
utilized, or consumed to meet desires or requirements during leisure time. Physical goods,
services, people, activities, places, organizations, and ideas all fall under this category. This concept
demonstrates that tourist products are not limited to physical objects, but also include intangible
items such as activities, interactions, organizations, and ideas. Five components comprise the
package: attractions, facilities, accessibility, image, and price. Additionally, tourism products are
defined from a supply perspective as several forms of tourism created in a tourism destination
based on the scale of activities and services.

As a result, it should be recognized that community development centered on tourism can benefit
the social economy and support sustainable development. This technique has the potential to
contribute to sustainable development by boosting local economic growth and enhancing resident
perceptions of the physical environment and indigenous culture’s value.

Conclusion
The present tourism development strategy emphasizes the importance of community
empowerment in tourism development. Community-based tourism development, particularly in
rural destination resilience, is a central and fundamental concept in the evolution of conventional
tourism development theory. Thus, resilience of rural tourism in Bali highly depend on local
community.

The five resilience features of rural village in Bali namely, 1) Extremely disjointed 2) Government
Mode 3) Hybrid 4) Visionary and 5) High tech adaptability; is gaining traction in these circles as a
result of its digital acceptance, is an understanding of the community's assurance of acquired

289
benefits. Additionally, this study demonstrates that resilience is intricately linked to local residents'
reliance on and dependence on government.

Local technopreneurship, creative economy and tourism-focused community development are

three main reasons Community-based tourism, has made it possible to dismiss criticisms that
tourism has violated human rights and marginalized local communities in locations. With the
support of planning and tourist management, will provide a greater control room for achieving the
local community's welfare. Inevitably it will also facilitate the circulation of products and services
at rural tourist destinations.

Additionally, the findings of this study imply that digital acceptance may be a beneficial method
for creating sustainable rural tourism resilience in the face of the covid19 pandemic. Thus, future
research activities should be action-oriented and focused on aiding local community entrepreneurs
in communicating more effectively with one another and with other stakeholder groups. This
research should ascertain whether the recommended method to digital acceptance leads in long-
term benefits and resilience for rural communities. Finally, it will be worthwhile to examine the
evolving links between rural tourism destination resilience and global travel distribution in order
to uncover opportunities for small scale efforts to thrive in the global economy.

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