Myra Gunawan: The Study of Tourism in ITB, in the Present and in the Future
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - "Tourism"; for a glance, an institute of technology with the basic of sciences, technologies, and arts has nothing to do with this word. But no one expects that ITB is one of the pioneers of Indonesia's tourism studies and research. ITB Center of Tourism Planning and Developing is pioneer organization about Indonesia's tourism, which was founded in 1993. This explanation was stated by Myra Puspasari Gunawan, one of the founders of this tourism study along with her pedagogies in ITB who had been awarded for Widya Cendekia Utama 2013 Prize.
The beginning to deepen this tourism scope is begun with one of her student's initiative idea to raise tourism as the topic of his final project. Myra is very passionate in getting serious in tourism scope. Not long after that, Planning and Policy Development (PPD) ITB was requested to make a master plan or blue print of National's Tourism Planning. "For now, the books or literatures with tourism as its main discussion theme are barely abailable. Oftenly, we are expected to study independently from the provided documents," said Myra.
Besides that, collaborating with supporting team from Japan, PPD ITB team also made a tourism urban planning for west region of West Java. In addition, this team also made an analysis of tourism planning collaborating with Ministry of Tourism, Post, and Telecommunication for Local Government of NTT. Considering the urgency of tourism study which is expected to be backbone of Indonesian economy in the future, Rector of ITB at that time, Wiranto Arismunandar, commanded to procure a Center of Tourism Research. On the 9th of August 1993, The Center of Tourism Planning and Developing was officially established.
Tourism is an interdisciplinary and multisectoral study. Nowadays, the high expectations of Indonesia's tourism haven't been supported with developed plans. This lack of preparation in developing plans causes the expansion of Indonesia's tourism hampered by varied sectoral building, and the overlap between different sectors of disciplines. ITB Center of Tourism Planning and Developing was established in order to be the head of the involvement of varied knowledge and disciplines in ITB and other academic environment. The other purpose of the establishment is to link other sectors either in public or private environment.
In March 2008, tourism is well known as an applied knowledge by The Directorate General of Higher Education - Ministry of National Education. In his greeting speech in the National Workshop "Tourism: Disciplines and Profession" in February 2009, Prof. Dr. Ir. Djoko Santoso, M.Sc as the Rector of ITB stated that Tourism for Magister Program would be opened. Now, this program is conjoined in a major in The School of Architecture, Planning and Policy Development ITB.
Having been working for almost 40 years as a lecturer, Myra Gunawan also initiated this tourism major. Her persistence in initiating this tourism major is what made Myra was awarded Ganesha Cendekia Widya Utama 2013 Prize. "To be honest, this award would be much more meaningful if I still be able to work for ITB," stated Myra. Now, this Tourism for Magister Program in ITB also tries to balance the developing of education in hospitality area and education in tourism to make more solid and competent national tourism system. Not only economically, but also in another varied dimensions such as social, culture, and politics.
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