In the bustling heart of Jakarta, a treasure trove of maritime history lies somewhat overlooked. The Jakarta Maritime Museum, a beacon of cultural significance, has been playing second fiddle to its flashier neighbors when it comes to visitor numbers. But why is that, and more importantly, what can be done about it? Vanessa Audi, a researcher from Universitas Bunda Mulia, has been digging into these very questions, and her findings, published in the journal ‘Journey’ (translated from Indonesian), offer some compelling insights.
Audi’s study, titled “The Influence Of Tourist Experience On Interest In Visiting The Jakarta Maritime Museum,” set out to understand how the experiences of visitors shape their interest in the museum. She surveyed 100 respondents who had visited or were familiar with the museum, using a structured online questionnaire. The data was then crunched using SPSS 27, with a mix of descriptive statistics, validity and reliability tests, simple regression analysis, and hypothesis testing.
So, what did she find? Well, it turns out that tourist experience has a significant impact on the interest in visiting the museum. In fact, the regression coefficient was a healthy 0.404, with a t-value of 7.662, which is well above the critical value of 1.984 (p < 0.05). The coefficient of determination (R²) was 0.375, meaning that tourist experience explains a substantial 37.5% of the variation in interest to visit the museum.In plain English, this means that if you can make the experience of visiting the Jakarta Maritime Museum more enjoyable, more engaging, and more memorable, you're likely to see a significant uptick in visitor numbers. As Audi puts it, "The findings reveal a positive and significant influence of tourist experience on visiting interest." She goes on to highlight the importance of enhancing service quality, emotional engagement, and visitor interaction to improve interest in visiting the museum.So, what does this mean for the maritime sector and the tourism industry at large? Well, it's a clear call to action for museum management to up their game when it comes to visitor experience. This could mean investing in interactive exhibits, improving the quality of guided tours, or even leveraging technology to create more immersive experiences.But the implications go beyond just the museum itself. As Audi points out, the findings contribute to the broader literature on heritage tourism development in emerging economies. This is a golden opportunity for the maritime sector to tap into the growing interest in cultural and heritage tourism. By working together, museums, tourism boards, and maritime businesses can create packages that offer a more holistic experience, drawing in visitors and boosting the local economy.Moreover, the study highlights the potential for technology to play a bigger role in enhancing visitor experiences. From augmented reality exhibits to virtual reality tours, there's a wealth of opportunities for tech-savvy companies to step in and revolutionize the way we experience maritime history.In the end, it's all about creating a more engaging and memorable experience for visitors. As Audi's research shows, this isn't just about attracting more visitors to the Jakarta Maritime Museum. It's about preserving and promoting our maritime heritage, boosting the local economy, and fostering a deeper appreciation for our shared history. And that, as they say, is a win-win-win.