International Journal of Research and Review www.ijrrjournal.com E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237

Research Paper

Developing Tomb-Based Religious Tourism: Creating Inter-Cultural Communication Competence in

Irwan Syari Tanjung1,2, Suwardi Lubis1, Moh. Hatta1

1Doctoral Program in Communication and Islamic Broadcasting, Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, , 2Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia

Corresponding Author: Irwan Syari Tanjung

ABSTRACT

The development of tomb-based religious tourism has not been maximally implemented by the regional government of Central Tapanuli Regency (CTR) although there are the diverse culture of visitors who travel to Mahligai and Papan Tinggi tombs and their visits have implications for them to be able to communicate with tourism conscious groups, with management, and with tomb guards. This paper is aimed at describing the development of tomb-based religious tourism, and at creating competency and model for inter-cultural communication in CTR. This paper is qualitative and descriptive, involving the 28 research subjects, such as individual visitor, tourism conscious groups, coastal culture observers, tomb management and guards. The research objects were focused on the verbal and non verbal symbols which were collected by interviews, observation, and document searches; moreover, the data analysis technique involved inductive approach with the data validity used triangulation. It is concluded that the two tombs received little attention from local governments and the management was less professional but the interaction among visitors, tourism conscious groups, management, and guards, who have different cultural identities, results in relational identity with similar meaning, and forms dynamic social relations; they also have adequate experience, knowledge, positive motivation, attitudes, values, abilities, and skills in communication. The visitors’ inter-cultural communication competency with tourism conscious groups, management, and tomb guards about the verbal and non verbal messages have been in accordance with the principles of communication intelligence in Islamic perspectives; so, the model for the inter-cultural communication competency is based on Islam.

Keywords: development, tomb, religious tourism, competency, inter-cultural communication

INTRODUCTION managed optimally so that tourists can gain The CTR has decent tourism experience about the old tombs that are rich potentials, such as marine, underwater of religious and cultural values and nature, mountaineous, historical, religious, historical events to be explored and and cultural heritage tourisms. Two of the developed in order to increase the insight religious tourisms are the Mahligai and knowledge and religious experience and to Papan Tinggi (MPT) tombs located in the deepen spiritual feelings. city of and in the Northern Baru In one hand, the high interests of (Barus Utara). The two tombs are actually local and international visitors coming to the potential for religious tourism if they are MPT can be seen from the number of

International Journal of Research & Review (www.ijrrjournal.com) 266 Vol.6; Issue: 2; February 2019 Irwan Syari Tanjung et.al. Developing Tomb-Based Religious Tourism: Creating Inter-Cultural Communication Competence In Central Tapanuli Regency tourists from various ages, like children, cultures. Tomb visitors need to prepare adolescents, adults and the elderly. The themselves in the face of the challenges in Mahligai grave site becomes the main language differences, habits, unusual attraction for tourists to visit to directly see behavior, and cultural diversity, both the the cultural heritage and the historical style of verbal and nonverbal development of Islam in this area. The communication which aim to achieve development of tomb for tourist attraction successful adaptation to members of tourism by the regional government is still lacking, conscious groups, management, and tomb as seen from the lack of tourism facilities guards. and infrastructure such as accommodation, The differences in cultural general accessibility to reach the backgrounds between multi-ethnic visitors destinations, and promotion. There are also and members of tourist conscious groups, low public awareness towards the managers, and tomb guardians who have importance of grave as religious tourism and coastal characteristics are important to lack of professionalism from the tomb understand the principles of communicative guards. Observations show there are five intelligence, especially verbal problems in managing the two tombs, communication such as the principles of namely preservation of cultural assets, Qaulan Sadidan (to speak correctly), of human resources, tourism supporting Qaulan Balighan (to speak effectively), of facilities, information, and promotion Qaulan Maysuran (to speak appropriately), media. of Qaulan Layinan (to speak in gentle), of On the other hand, communication Qaulan Kariman (to speak in noble) and of carried out by visitors with all parties in Qaulan Ma’rufan (to speak well). All the relation to the tombs tends to be culturally principles should be supported by openness, bound, so that those who communicate in positive and suportive attitude, equality, and inter-cultural contexts, in this case members empathy in the frame of Islam because, of tourism conscious groups, management, generally, the majority of visitors who come and tomb guards, should at least be open to to the tombs are Muslims, but only a small visitors’ differences in values, beliefs and proportion of visitors are others (non- attitudes, and cultures. The parties should Muslims); the tourism conscious groups, also reflect the smart communication when management, and tomb guards are all they describe the tombs. Communicative Muslims. competence is used as the parameter to The questions are then: how is the measure the quality of visitors’ intercultural current development of tomb-based communication with the tourism conscious religious tourism and what model is suitable groups, management, and tomb guards. for inter-cultural communication Inter-cultural communication competency competencies? might see the capabilities, communication Theoretical frameworks skills, and interactions among people from Developing tomb-based religious tourism different cultures in which the presence of The development of tomb-based visitors force them to adapt to the parties religious tourism is very necessary in an although it must be that the parties should effort to improve or advance tourism objects make themselves adaptative and intelligent by the development of facilities and to the visitors who should be brought into infrastructure, promotion and marketing, secure atmosphere from the tomb locations. and human resources (Munanef, 1996: 8), Appropriate behavior in especially for the Mahligai and Papan communication is observed in the inter- Tinggi tombs which have been included as cultural communication competency as an the religion-nuansed cultural heritage and important factor for tomb visitors who enter which prove to be first entry of Islam in new environments that are different in Indonesia via Barus. Given the 2011-2016

International Journal of Research & Review (www.ijrrjournal.com) 267 Vol.6; Issue: 2; February 2019 Irwan Syari Tanjung et.al. Developing Tomb-Based Religious Tourism: Creating Inter-Cultural Communication Competence In Central Tapanuli Regency of CTR’s Vision and Mission, the tourism discuss the influence of culture on becomes one of the leading sectors in order communication activities (Liliweri, 2011: to improve public welfare and the CTR’s 29). The theories used in this paper are Tourism Office in 2018 has made efforts in related to "conversation and relationship" developing the two tombs as the historical, which is specifically addressed to symbolic religious, and cultural heritage tourism interaction, identity management, self (Dinas Pariwisata, 2017). presentation, and advance negotiation. Inter-cultural communication competence Inter-cultural communication refers MATERIALS AND METHODS to interpersonal communication carried out The research method is a descriptive by those with different cultural qualitative which focuses more on the backgrounds, to exchanging messages aspects of processes rather than results; this conveyed verbally even imaginatively is due to the relationship of the parts being between two people of different cultural studied is much clearer if observed in the backgrounds, and to exchanging symbolic process (Creswell, 2002: 9-12). There were meanings by two people of different cultural 28 research subjects (or informants) backgrounds (Liliweri, 2011: 13). The term including the individuals from the visitors communicative competency was first coming to the MPT, from members of the introduced by David Hymes in the 1960s to tourism conscious groups, management, and emphasize that knowledge of grammar rules tomb guards, from Barus coast culture was insufficient to speak and communicate observers or prominent figures and CTR’s (Priandono, 2016: 219). tourism agency. The research objects were With regard to competency, a lot of all verbal and nonverbal symbols taken from evidence shows that communication plays every visitor, from members of the tourism an important role in human life, whether or conscious group, of the management, and of not someone builds a life, career, does tomb guards. Data collection techniques business, and even politics can not be were taken from interviews, observation, separated from the ability of a person to and documents. In qualitative research, the communicate. Competence is an ability to instruments used are words and actions; the carry out or do a job or task based on skills, rests are additional data such as documents knowledge, and supported by the work and others (Moleong, 2010: 157). The data attitude demanded by the job (Kompri, analysis technique was descriptive with an 2017: 1). Communication competence is a inductive approach which starts from fields person’s ability to act communication (Moleong, 2010: 10). For data validity, the effectively and successfully (Purwasito, triangulation through other sources was 2015: 284). Furthermore, in case of the applied. model of inter-cultural communication competency, Brian Spitzberg and Bill RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Cupach argued there are three important The development of the old MPT components that are inter-related and tombs in Barus has become one of the needed, namely knowledge, motivation, and regional government programs which was behavior (James, 2006: 444). handled by local tourism and cultural The formation of theories in inter- agency. Each year the number of visitors or cultural communication has certainly the tourists have increased significantly. The power to discuss inter-cultural humanitarian agency has also created the tourism issues; in short, the theories of intercultural development master plan (RIPP), the long communication refer to theories that term development plan (RPJP) in 2006- specifically generalize the concept of 2020, the medium term development plan communication between communicators (RPJM) in 2012-2016 which can be used as and communicants of different cultures and the reference for tourism development in

International Journal of Research & Review (www.ijrrjournal.com) 268 Vol.6; Issue: 2; February 2019 Irwan Syari Tanjung et.al. Developing Tomb-Based Religious Tourism: Creating Inter-Cultural Communication Competence In Central Tapanuli Regency general and for religious tourism in Barus’s outspoken by visitors when they make MPT in specific. The current problems are perceptions on their experiences during their that creativity, human resources, and interaction with the members. The multi- innovation from local governments are still ethnic visitors come from Toba , lacking; groups of tourism actors in the Mandailing, Minangkabau, Java, coastal community are also still limited, and Barus regions, Singkil, and Malay whose community participation itself is still low. In characteristics are open, adaptable, and short, the integration of government and Islamic. The members of tourism conscious communities in practice for the groups, management, and tomb guards are development of religious tourism remains also multi-ethnic whose characteristics are poor. almost the same. Their characters may In the context of developing influence the situation that supports visitors religious tombs and other tourism to maintain their self-image when they make destinations, the local government has conversations with those members. begun to seriously organize and develop The visitors as well as the members such destinations in CTR even though the of the tourism conscious groups, MPT’s development seen from the aspect of management, and tomb guards have access to the tombs need serious attention. adequate experience and knowledge of The damaged road conditions and the human beings like the basic knowledge of availability of facilities such as affordable who they are communicating to, for grave houses, praying facilities, toilets, example, what their ethnicity is, what their health among others are less optimal; profession is, where they reside among however, planning, organization, moving others. In addition, the members should also (or implemention), and supervision which think positive to visitors, give interesting have been arranged become powerful motivation, and show nice attitudes, values, strategy in the development of old religious and skills when communicating. tourism destinations in Barus. Thus, the communicative The importance of developing competence between visitors and the tourism and specifically grave religious members can enrich the inter-cultural tourism creates a multiplayer effect on the communication that explores the inter- improvement of the economy, welfare and personal communication producing models of other fields, the CTR’s government is for inter-cultural communication committed in which one of its development competency, and explaining a directions is focused on tourism communicative phenomenon. Thereby, the development which is hoped to improve the models for the inter-cultural communication local people’s welfare. All this is supported by visitors with the members help explain by the condition that the CTR is very the parts that the researcher considers strategically located in the West Coast important from the inter-cultural region of North , has a coastline of communication competencies by visitors ± 200 km, and has the extraordinary and the members. potential either natural or cultural tourisms; therefore, this regency is very feasible to be CONCLUSIONS developed as one of the National Tourism The development of the Mahligai destinations. and Papan Tinggi tombs received little The social interactions between attention from the regional government, visitors with members of tourist conscious which can be seen from the lacks of groups, management, and tomb guards has accessible facilities and infrastructure, of created an intimate relationship that is low quality of human resources, of less inddicated by the words "similar" or the professional management perceived by "same meaning"; such words are often visitors and by coastal culture observers

International Journal of Research & Review (www.ijrrjournal.com) 269 Vol.6; Issue: 2; February 2019 Irwan Syari Tanjung et.al. Developing Tomb-Based Religious Tourism: Creating Inter-Cultural Communication Competence In Central Tapanuli Regency and/or figures. But, the interaction between  ------. 2011. Gatra-Gatra Komunikasi the visitors and the members have created Antarbudaya. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar. relational identities which are perceived  Purwasito, Andrik. 2015. Komunikasi from the perspective of “similar in Multikultural. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar. meaning” which has proved to form  Creswell, John W. 2002. Research Design dynamic social relationships. Such (Desain Penelitian) Qualitative & relationships are marked by experience, Quantitative Approaces (Pendekatan Kualitatif & Kuantitatif) (Terjemahan). adequate knowledge, positive motivation, Jakarta: KIK Press. attitude, values, and communication skills.  Kompri. 2017. Standardisasi Kompetensi The model for the inter-cultural Kepala Sekolah Pendekatan Teori Untuk communication carried out by the visitors Praktik Profesional. Jakarta: Kencana. and the members, in case of verbal  Moleong, Lexy J. 2010. Metodologi messages in communication, are in Penelitian Kualitatif. Edisi Revisi. Bandung: accordance with the Islamic principles of Remaja Rosdakarya. communication intelligence, namely qaulan  Musanef. 1996. Pemasaran Pariwisata sadidan, qaulan balighan, qaulan Terpadu. Bandung: Angkasa. maysuran, qaulan layinan, qaulan kariman,  James, Neulip W. 2006. Intercultural and qaulan ma’rufan. In short, the model Communication A Contextual Approach. for the communicative competency between California: Sage Publication. visitors and the members is Islam-based.  Tito, Edy Priandono. 2016. Komunikasi Keberagaman. Bandung: Remaja REFERENCES Rosdakarya.  Liliweri, Alo. 2011. Dasar-Dasar  Document Perspektif Perencanaan Makam Komunikasi Antarbudaya. Yogyakarta: Papan Tinggi dan makam Mahligai. 2017. Pustaka Pelajar. Dinas Pariwisata Kabupaten Tapanuli Tengah.

How to cite this article: Tanjung IS, Lubis S, Moh. Hatta. Developing tomb-based religious tourism: creating inter-cultural communication competence in central Tapanuli regency. International Journal of Research and Review. 2019; 6(2):266-270.

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International Journal of Research & Review (www.ijrrjournal.com) 270 Vol.6; Issue: 2; February 2019