GOVERNANCE OF EXPERIENCE-BASED TOURISM NARRATIVES: REPRESENTATION OF NUSA PENIDA TOURISM PRODUCTS IN DIGITAL MARKETPLACES

I Gede Gian Saputra, Putu Wira Parama Suta

Abstract


The rise of digital platforms has transformed the governance of tourism narratives, particularly in experience-based tourism where storytelling, visuals, and platform algorithms shape destination representation. This study investigates the governance dynamics behind digital representations of tourism products in Nusa Penida, Bali, across five major marketplace platforms: Klook, Viator, GetYourGuide, Traveloka Experience, and Airbnb Experience. Using qualitative digital observation and content analysis of 450 tourism experiences, the study identifies a dominant trend of narrative and visual homogenization, limited community involvement, and minimal integration of sustainability principles. These patterns are driven by platform-curated algorithms and commercial imperatives that marginalize local voices and reduce diverse cultural contexts into standardized visual products. Drawing on frameworks of collaborative and algorithmic governance (Ansell & Gash, 2008; Zuboff, 2019), the study highlights power asymmetries between global platforms and local tourism actors, revealing a regulatory gap in digital tourism content management. The findings underscore the need for inclusive, participatory governance mechanisms that enable ethical, context-sensitive representation of tourism destinations in the platform economy.


References


Ansell, C., & Gash, A. (2008). Collaborative governance in theory and practice. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 18(4), 543–571. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mum032

Buhalis, D., & Law, R. (2008). Progress in information technology and tourism management: 20 years on and 10 years after the Internet—The state of eTourism research. Tourism Management, 29(4), 609–623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2008.01.005

Delmas, M. A., & Burbano, V. C. (2011). The drivers of greenwashing. California Management Review, 54(1), 64–87. https://doi.org/10.1525/cmr.2011.54.1.64

Dinas Pariwisata Kabupaten Klungkung. 2025. Data Kunjungan Wisatawan ke Kabupaten Klungkung.

Ert, E., & Fleischer, A. (2019). The evolution of trust in Airbnb: A case of home rental. Annals of Tourism Research, 75, 279–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2018.12.009

Farmaki, A., & Kaniadakis, A. (2020). Power in tourism stakeholder research: Addressing the epistemological gap. Annals of Tourism Research, 82, 102550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2020.102550

Gretzel, U., Sigala, M., Xiang, Z., & Koo, C. (2020). Smart tourism: foundations and developments. Electronic Markets, 30(1), 7–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-019-00319-z

Mkono, M. (2016). The reflexive tourist. Annals of Tourism Research, 57, 206–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2015.12.019

Oh, H., Fiore, A. M., & Jeoung, M. (2007). Measuring experience economy concepts: Tourism applications. Journal of Travel Research, 46(2), 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287507304039

Pine, B. J., & Gilmore, J. H. (1999). The experience economy: Work is theatre & every business a stage. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.

Salazar, N. B. (2012). Community-based cultural tourism: Issues, threats and opportunities. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 20(1), 9–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2011.596279

Scheyvens, R. (1999). Ecotourism and the empowerment of local communities. Tourism Management, 20(2), 245–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(98)00098-7

Urry, J., & Larsen, J. (2011). The tourist gaze 3.0. London, UK: Sage Publications.

Zajácz, R. (2021). Tourism and the platform economy: The socio-spatial implications of Airbnb in tourist cities. Geoforum, 122, 55–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2021.03.016

Zuboff, S. (2019). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. New York, NY: PublicAffairs.


Full Text: PDF

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Published by :

Department of Public Administration

University of Pembangunan Nasional "Veteran" Jawa Timur

in Collaboration with Indonesian Assosiation of Public Administration (IAPA)

 

Editorial Office :

Jl.Raya Rungkut Madya, Gunung Anyar, Surabaya

Faculty of Social, Cultural, and Political Science

University of Pembangunan Nasional "Veteran" Jawa Timur

Email : hendra.wijayanto.fisip@upnjatim.ac.id