IDENTIFICATION OF SYSTEM VARIABLES FOR SUSTAINABLE SPIRITUAL TOURISM AT BOROBUDUR TEMPLE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY VIA THEMATIC ANALYSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/JTHEM.1145058Keywords:
Borobudur Temple, Destination Governance, Heritage Sustainability, Spiritual Tourism, Thematic AnalysisAbstract
Sacred heritage destinations face acute tensions between commercial viability, physical preservation, and ritual sanctity. While previous studies have examined heritage conservation or spiritual tourist psychology in isolation, little empirical research explains how economic independence policies, spatial designs, and multi-actor mandates interact within sacred site ecosystems. This qualitative exploratory case study addresses this gap by capturing multi-stakeholder perspectives at Borobudur Temple, Indonesia. Drawing on semi-structured in-depth interviews across key institutional, commercial, and community actors (N = 10), complemented by field observations and policy document analysis, data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic framework. Eight empirical themes emerged, which were systematically translated into 13 grounded system variables across three dimensions: economic (e.g., accessibility and cost equity, conservation fiscal independence, local supply chain inclusivity), environmental/ecological (physical carrying capacity, environmental comfort and silent zones, cultural-ecological resilience), and socio-cultural/institutional (spatial equity, regulatory synergy, ritual autonomy, philosophical interpretation). Theoretically, this study extends the Social-Ecological Systems (SES) literature to sacred heritage tourism by establishing spiritual carrying capacity and spatial equity as co-requisites for site sustainability. Methodologically bounded by a single-case design, this work avoids prescriptive generalities and instead offers a preliminary diagnostic framework and an empirical basis for policymakers to achieve an integrated alignment between sacred atmosphere, physical conservation, and community livelihoods.
Downloads
References
Aulet, S., & Duda, T. (2020). Tourism accessibility and its impact on the spiritual sustainability of sacred sites. Sustainability, 12(22), 9695. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229695
Bichler, B. F., & Lösch, M. (2019). Collaborative governance in tourism: Empirical insights into a community-oriented destination. Sustainability, 11(23), 6673. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236673
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications.
Choe, J., & Mahyuni, L. P. (2023). Sustainable and inclusive spiritual tourism development in Bali as a long-term post-pandemic strategy. International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 11(2), 100–111. https://doi.org/10.21427/BP1V-GZ27
De Lacy, P., & Shackleton, C. M. (2017). Aesthetic and spiritual ecosystem services provided by urban sacred sites. Sustainability, 9(9), 1628. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091628
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2018). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Halim, M. S. A., Tatoglu, E., & Hanefar, S. B. M. (2021). A review of spiritual tourism: A conceptual model for future research. Tourism and Hospitality Management, 27(1), 119–141. https://doi.org/10.20867/thm.27.1.8
Hassan, T. H., Abdou, A. H., Taha, S., Abdelmoaty, M. A., & Salem, A. E. (2022). Religious tourists’ satisfaction with services and their impacts on spirituality in the post-COVID-19 era. Sustainability, 14(20), 13335. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013335
Hermawan, H., Suryono, Y., & Setyawan, A. (2019). Making Borobudur a Buddhist religious tourist destination: An effort to preserve Buddhist temples in Indonesia. Jurnal Ilmiah Pariwisata, 24(2), 120–135. https://doi.org/10.30647/jip.v24i2.1354
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.
Narajettho, P. (2024). The networking of cultural tourism based on the Buddha's footprints in ASEAN countries: A case study of Thailand and Lao. Mahachula Academic Journal, 11(2), 15–32. https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JMA/article/view/269163
Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Putri, O. G., Ingkadijaya, R., Arafah, W., & Mariati, S. (2025). The potential of Borobudur Temple as a sustainable world spiritual tourism center. KnE Social Sciences, 10(29), 224–235. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v10i29.20267
Rachmat, M., Wijaya, A. F., & Suryani, E. (2021). Overtourism phenomenon at Borobudur Temple based on the penta helix perspectives. Jurnal Manajemen Pariwisata, 20(3), 210–225.
Sari, R. P., Pramono, S., & Hidayat, T. (2019). Pengembangan kawasan wisata Borobudur Highland dengan konsep nomadic tourism (Objek studi: Zona otorita kawasan pariwisata Borobudur, Kabupaten Purworejo, Jawa Tengah). Jurnal Perencanaan Wilayah dan Kota, 10(2), 145–160.
Shinde, K. A., & Olsen, D. H. (2022). Reframing the intersections of pilgrimage, religious tourism, and sustainability. Sustainability, 15(1), 461. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010461
Sofianto, A. (2018). Development strategy of Borobudur National Tourism Area. Jurnal Bina Praja, 10(1), 75–88. https://doi.org/10.21787/jbp.10.2018.75-88
Wang, B., He, S., Min, Q., Cui, F., & Wang, G. (2021). Influence of residents’ perception of tourism’s impact on supporting tourism development in a GIAHS site: The mediating role of perceived justice and community identity. Land, 10(10), 998. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10100998
Wang, S., Blasco, D., Hamzah, A., & Verschuuren, B. (2023). Tourists and ‘philosophers’: Nature as a medium to consciousness and transcendence in spiritual tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 99, 103543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2023.103543
Wardana, S., Handayani, D., & Ilmika, A. (2023). Community participation-based tourism governance in post COVID-19: Case study on conservation in Borobudur Temple. International Journal of Conservation Science, 14(4), 1591–1608. https://doi.org/10.36868/IJCS.2023.04.22
White, P., Phae-Ngam, W., Kamoldilok, S., Naemchanthara, K., Limsuwan, P., & Suanpang, P. (2025). Laser-carved legacy: Exploring the scientific construction and cultural significance of the world's largest Golden Buddha in Thailand through a tourist perspective. Tourism and Hospitality, 6(4), 201. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6040201
Yin, R. K. (2014). Case study research: Design and methods (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
