p–ISSN: 2723 - 6609 e-ISSN: 2745-5254
Vol. 5, No. 8 August 2024 http://jist.publikasiindonesia.id/
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 3170
The Influence of Monas Tourism Amenities and Accessibility
Services on Senior-Friendly Tourism in Jakarta
Juliet Sutedja
1*
, Rudy Pramono
2
Universitas Pelita Harapan, Indonesia
Email:
1*
2
*Correspondence
ABSTRACT
Keywords: service quality
facilities; accessibility;
seniors.
The Jakarta National Monument is a monument that is a
characteristic of the city of Jakarta. The National Monument
offers a tourist attraction in the form of history about the
struggle of the Indonesian nation. This study aims to analyze
the extent of the influence of service quality and access to
elderly tourism support at Mona's. The method used in this
study is qualitative. The data sources in this study were
obtained through interviews, observations, questionnaires
and literature from previous research or journals. From the
results that have been obtained by the author, it can be
concluded that Monas can still be developed in terms of
access and facilities, unfortunately, for now, Monas are still
not friendly to elderly tourists who still need a lot of special
facilities and access to run and can also enjoy tourist
activities at Mona's. It can be concluded that tourism for the
elderly is still very minimally done, but elderly tourism is
one of the aspects that can be profitable if more is worked
on.
Introduction
Tourism in Jakarta can also be equated with city tourism, where tourism activities
carried out are around or around the city. Some tourism in Jakarta can also be called
historical and cultural tourism, because of the many places such as museums, national
monuments and many more (Park & Ahn, 2022).
Accessibility in Jakarta tourism can also be worked on as tourism for the elderly or
known as senior tourism. Where, tourism is more emphasized to visitors who have
reached seniority and also about the accessibility of tourism, especially at Monas or the
National Museum in Jakarta (YILMAZ & ABOSAG Reader, 2022).
Monas is one of the pride of the residents of DKI Jakarta itself (Gillovic &
McIntosh, 2020). However, it is not unlikely, that senior tourists also want to enjoy the
beauty of the monas itself. Several factors can make senior tourists come to the monas,
namely reminiscing about important events that have occurred as well as those who want
to see the history and culture of Jakarta. Like the existence of a museum inside the Monas
(Shin, Kim, Kim, & Lee, 2024).
The Influence of Monas Tourism Amenities and Accessibility Services on Senior-Friendly
Tourism in Jakarta
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 3171
For senior tourists visiting Jakarta, several interesting places can be visited,
including the National Monument (Monas) which is one of the icons of Jakarta. Here are
some of the activities that can be enjoyed by senior tourists in Jakarta, including a visit to
Monas:
1. Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII): TMII showcases the diversity of Indonesia's
culture and architecture on a miniature scale. Senior tourists can enjoy the spacious
park and various pavilions representing the cultures of different regions of Indonesia.
2. National Museum: The National Museum of Elephant Museum is an ideal place for
senior tourists who are interested in Indonesia's history and culture. The museum has
a rich collection, including historical artefacts and art objects.
3. Jakarta Old Town: Senior tourists can visit Jakarta Old Town to see the historical
buildings left over from the Netherlands colonial period. There is also the Fatahillah
Museum and various coffee shops and restaurants that offer a classic atmosphere.
The National Monument abbreviated as Monas or Monas Monument is a 132-meter
(433 ft) high memorial monument located right in the middle of Medan Merdeka Square,
Central Jakarta. Monas was established to commemorate the resistance and struggle of
the Indonesian people in seizing independence from the colonial rule of the Kingdom of
Netherlands. Construction began on August 17, 1961, under the order of President
Soekarno and was inaugurated until it was opened to the public on July 12, 1975, by
President Soeharto (Sugaryamah & Anggreyani, 2017).
The development consists of three stages (Susilo & Suryaningsih, 2015). The first
phase, the period 1961/1962–1964/1965 began with the official start of construction on
August 17, 1961, with Soekarno ceremonially planting the first concrete peg. A total of
284 concrete pegs are used as the foundation of the building. A total of 360 earth pegs
were planted for the foundation of the National History Museum. The entire foundation
laying was completed in March 1962 (Yuliyanti & Dayaningsih, 2020).. The museum
wall at the base of the building was completed in October. Construction of the obelisk
then began and was finally completed in August 1963. The second phase of construction
took place in the period from 1966 to 1968 due to the September 30 Movement so this
stage was delayed. The final stage took place in 1969-1976 by adding a diorama to the
history museum. Even though the construction has been completed, problems still occur,
including water leaks that flood the museum. The monument was officially opened to the
public and inaugurated on July 12, 1975, by the President of the Republic of Indonesia
Soeharto (Strelnikova, Ivanova, Skrobotova, Polyakova, & Shelopugina, 2023).
Of course, with the opportunity for senior tourists to be open (Dann, 2002), access
and services from the responsible parties must be able to provide these services and access
to senior tourists in need.
Senior travellers are elderly travellers who are 55 years old or older (Bagus &
Utama, 2012). The age criteria used refer to the criteria for the term senior or older tourist
in the United States. The Indonesian government considers senior tourists to be an
important market share for several reasons, including: The rapid development of health
science has made the chances of living longer for the elderly which has led to a large
Juliet Sutedja, Rudy Pramono
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 3172
number of these people. Another reason is that the existence of income allowances from
a good pension system will be able to cause this age group to have better purchasing
power (Tantri, 2018).
The age category of seniors is categorized into 3 categories of age of seniors (Reda
Ibrahim & Mai, 2020):
1. Young – old (60 – 74 years old)
2. Middle old (75 – 84 years old)
3. Oldest-old (above 85 years old)
Research Methods
This research uses a qualitative approach of case studies which is a type of approach
used to investigate and understand an event or problem that has occurred by collecting
various kinds of information which is then processed to get a solution that can solve the
problem.
A case study is an investigative design found in many fields, especially evaluation,
in which the researcher develops an in-depth analysis of a case, often a program, event,
activity, process, or one or more individuals.
Data collected from the field at the site of the study, actually speaking directly to
people and seeing how they behave and act in their context is a key characteristic of
qualitative research.
Conduct face-to-face interviews to collect data and collect various forms of data
such as interviews, observations, documents, and audiovisual information instead of
relying only on one source of data. These are all forms of open data where participants
share their ideas freely, not limited by predefined scales or instruments. It then reviews
all the data, understands it, and organizes it into code and themes that cross all data
sources.
The author has conducted inductive and deductive data analysis by working
inductively, building patterns, categories, and themes from the bottom up by organizing
the data into more and more abstract units of information. This inductive process
describes the back-and-forth between themes and databases until researchers have
established a comprehensive set of themes. Then deductively, look back at the data from
the themes to determine if more evidence can support each theme or whether they need
to gather additional information. Furthermore, make a research chart that serves as a
reference for the author's work plan in obtaining data and preparing this research, namely
examining documents, observing behaviour and conducting interviews.
Here are the questions respondents were asked about amenities and accessibility:
1. What is the access provided by the monas? Is the access friendly to senior travellers?
2. What about amenities? Such as toilets and some places that can help senior tourists
inside the Mason outside the monas.
3. Has the access and amenities provided by Monas received a good response from senior
tourists?
The Influence of Monas Tourism Amenities and Accessibility Services on Senior-Friendly
Tourism in Jakarta
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In this study, the sources collected are data sources in the form of primary data and
secondary data.
1. Data Primer
Primary data is the type and source of data and is obtained directly by researchers
from sources, either individuals or groups. The data was obtained directly from one of the
speakers who specifically answered the researcher's question, namely the monas manager.
The author collected primary data by survey method and observation method. The survey
method is a method that collects primary data using oral and written questions. The survey
method is a method that collects primary data using oral and written questions.
2. Data Seconds
Secondary data obtained is indirect data such as evidence, records or historical
reports that have been compiled in archives or documentary data. The author obtained
secondary data by applying for permission to conduct an interview.
Data Collection Methods The steps in data collection include setting research
boundaries through sampling and recruitment, namely; collecting information through
unstructured or semi-structured observations and interviews, documents, and visual
materials. The steps that will be used are:
1. Observation
The author will make observations on the ligkungan and also how to get the right
source of data. Field notes are also very useful. The importance of making field records
to find out about individual behaviour and activities at the research site. In this field note,
it is noted in an unstructured or semi-structured way (using some of the previous questions
that the questioner wants to know). Involve yourself in roles that vary from non-
participants to full participants. It takes a useful open-ended nature to ask general
questions to participants that allow participants to freely express their views. The
observation made by the author is to visit historical places such as Monas.
2. Interview
The interviews conducted were face-to-face interviews with sources, telephone
interviews, or engaged in targeted group interviews with six to eight people interviewed
in each group. These interviews involve unstructured and generally open-ended questions
that are few and are intended to obtain views and opinions from the participants.
3. Audio-Visual
The data sources carried out were recording sounds, photos and video interviews
which were used to support the data in the research.
Results and Discussion
Tourism is one of the main drivers of the global economy that has proven to have a
significant impact on the welfare of a country. From an economic perspective, the sector
contributes to increased foreign exchange earnings, showing how important tourism is in
supporting the country's finances. Therefore, tourism managers must improve the
effectiveness of their service provision, while the government needs to pay greater
attention so that the tourism sector can achieve optimal success (Sudarwan, Zahra, &
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Tabrani, 2021). In addition, tourism service provision needs to keep up with market
developments to remain relevant and competitive.
Globally, demographics are undergoing significant changes with an ageing
population. This change opens up opportunities to provide elder-friendly products and
services, including in the tourism sector. With the growth of the elderly market is
expected to account for around a quarter of the world's population by 2050 (World
Population Prospects, 2017). This potential encourages tourism services to adapt.
Research on leisure use emphasizes the importance of changes in employment status,
such as the transition from active work to retirement, as a factor influencing the lifestyle
of older people (Zielińska-Szczepkowska, 2021).
Relaxing tourism, with reduced activity and increased peace, contributes to the
improvement of one's mental and physical well-being. In addition, travel introduces
variety in daily routines, which in turn can increase an individual's expectation of a better
quality of life. Therefore, people who engage in tourism often do so to improve economic
and health conditions (Przybysz & Stanimir, 2022). For this reason, many people,
including senior citizens, are attracted to tourism as a means to improve their economic
and health conditions.
As more evidence shows that the elderly are a very important and growing group
of travellers, this group is now becoming increasingly crucial to the tourism industry
(Liew et al., 2021). However, the tourism sector currently lacks elderly-friendly products
and services. Therefore, there is a need for special attention to provide equal rights for
the elderly through products designed with universal principles. For the elderly, comfort
and safety are the main factors in choosing a tourist destination. Thus, the existence of
adequate facilities and easily accessible services is very important.
One of the tourist attractions that still maintains its existence in Jakarta is the
National Monument (Monas). Monas is one of the tourist attractions in Jakarta
(Wahyuningtyas, 2012). Monas has unique characteristics because its architecture and
dimensions reflect the specificity of Indonesia. This monument is known for its towering
shape and spacious courtyard. At the top of the monument, there is a fire that always
seems to burn, symbolizing the fighting spirit of the Indonesian people that never goes
out at all times. The attractive design and layout of Monas encourages visitors to enjoy
the beautiful and fresh scenery, including a garden decorated with trees from various
provinces in Indonesia. The fountain pool located at the entrance hall adds to the coolness
of the park, coupled with the charm of the swaying fountain. Near the entrance to the
Mona courtyard, there is a magnificent statue of Prince Diponegoro riding a horse
(Novela, 2018). Monas is not only a symbol of the pride of the Indonesian nation, but also
one of the attractive tourist and educational centres, both for Jakarta residents and visitors
from outside the city.
Success in the tourism business, as seen in Monas and other tourist destinations, is
often measured by the increase in the number of visitors. An increased number of tourists
usually occurs if visitors are satisfied with their visit. According to Payangan (2013) in
(Sudarwan et al., 2021) to achieve visitor satisfaction, three main components must be
The Influence of Monas Tourism Amenities and Accessibility Services on Senior-Friendly
Tourism in Jakarta
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 3175
considered in tourism products, namely the attractiveness of tourist destinations, the
facilities available at these destinations, and the ease of access or accessibility to tourist
sites. Therefore, Monas should focus its attention on facilities and accessibility.
Facilities refer to all types of facilities needed by visitors while they are at the tourist
site. Tourists tend to feel more comfortable if the facilities available at tourist sites are
attractive and convenient. In tourism development, it is important to consider existing
facilities, as tourists often choose a place or destination based on the attractiveness of the
facilities offered. Meanwhile, accessibility refers to how easily tourists can reach tourist
destinations, both in terms of distance and travel speed, as well as the availability of public
transportation. Some factors that affect the ease of access to tourist sites include the
existence of instructions or travel routes to the location, the choice of public vehicles that
tourists can use to reach various tourist attractions, and good road conditions to the
destination. Without adequate accessibility, the tourism business will face difficulties
(Permadi, Berlian, Firdausya, & Yusuf, 2024).
Based on direct observation by the author, it appears that many tourist attractions,
including Monas, have not fully adopted the concept of being friendly to the elderly.
However, there are still opportunities for tourism providers and local governments to
develop facilities and accessibility so that the elderly can also enjoy tourism in Jakarta,
including Monas as a historical and cultural destination. The author observes that Monas
still has the potential to be developed, especially in terms of access and facilities.
Currently, Monas is not fully friendly to senior travellers who require special facilities
and access to enjoy their visit. The environment in Monas needs to be improved to make
it more conducive. In addition, the implementation of strict regulations can help create a
more orderly and comfortable atmosphere at the site.
The aspect of facility quality, which is one of the categories in meeting the needs
of the elderly, also affects their satisfaction when travelling in Monas. However,
observations show that the situation in Monas, especially in the museum, is still not
conducive. Many visitors sit carelessly inside the museum, and no seats are provided.
Steep stairs without handrails are also one of the factors that make it difficult for elderly
tourists.
While on accessibility services include various elements in helping the elderly to
access Monas easily and comfortably. However, observations show that the existing
access in Monas has not fully met the needs of the elderly. For example, the number of
stairs leading to Monas and the unsupportive environmental conditions at the Monas
Museum make Monas less comfortable for elderly tourists.
In addition, based on an interview with one of Mona's managers, it is recognized
that the availability of access is still inadequate. Although Monas has just launched a
shuttle bus to improve accessibility, they only provide one small bus for the route to and
from Monas. The queue to use the shuttle bus is also very long and considered ineffective.
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Based on the problems related to facilities and accessibility at Monas to make it
more friendly for the elderly, this study recommends several solutions. First, by adding
and improving facilities. There needs to be additional and improved facilities to meet the
needs of the elderly (Wahyuningtyas, 2012).. Such as including building elevators or
ramps in areas with many stairs, especially for access to the Monas Museum and other
frequently visited parts. In addition, handrails should be installed along steep stairs to
provide additional support for the elderly and visitors with limited mobility. It is also
important to provide more seating inside the museum, especially in frequently visited
areas, so that the elderly can rest comfortably.
Second, to socialize managers and staff on the importance of accessibility for the
elderly. Training should be held for staff on how to serve elderly visitors well. Officers
also need to better organize visitors, for example by installing signs or providing officers
to direct visitors not to sit carelessly. Third, optimization of accessibility services. The
number of shuttle buses needs to be increased to reduce long queues and improve the
effectiveness of transportation to and from Monas. Departure schedules should also be
made more frequent and regular so that visitors do not have to wait too long. Finally, a
survey to find out what the elderly need when visiting Monas. Surveys will provide useful
information to improve their visit experience.
By implementing the aforementioned strategies, it is expected that the quality of
facilities and accessibility at Mona's will improve, making it more convenient for elderly
travellers. This improvement will bring several positive impacts:
1. Increase in elderly visitation
With more adequate facilities and services, Monas will become a more attractive
destination for the elderly. Providing products and services that suit the needs of the
elderly, such as hotel facilities, tourist attractions, culinary tours, and transportation, will
Figure 1 Inside the Monas museum
Figure 2 Directions to the Monas
museum
The Influence of Monas Tourism Amenities and Accessibility Services on Senior-Friendly
Tourism in Jakarta
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 3177
attract more elderly visitors. In addition, travel for the elderly also creates opportunities
for tour guides who can provide special assistance to them. (Tantri, 2018)
2. Monas image enhancement
Monas will be known as an inclusive and friendly tourist destination for all,
including the elderly. The image as an elderly-friendly place will add to the attractiveness
of Monas as a competitive and attractive tourist destination, especially in attracting
elderly tourist visits compared to other cities (Dewi & Saidah, 2017).
3. Economic growth driver
An increase in the number of elderly visitors will have a positive impact on the
economy around Monas, including increased revenue from the tourism sector. The elderly
tourist segment is a lucrative source of revenue for companies in the tourism sector,
thanks to the growing market size and the time available for the elderly to travel.
(Zielińska-Szczepkowska, 2021).
The positive impact of implementing elderly-friendly tourism shows that with
improved access and appropriate facilities, Monas can become more comfortable and
attractive for elderly tourists. These improvements aim to make Monas more inclusive,
meaning that it will be better equipped to accept and serve all groups, including the
elderly. This not only provides economic benefits to businesses around Monas but also
strengthens its image as a tourist destination that is welcoming and open to all visitors,
regardless of age.
Conclusion
From the results of the research, it can be concluded that tourism for seniors is still
very minimally worked on, but senior tourism is one of the aspects that can be profitable
if worked on more. For monas tourism, it can be concluded that monas are still not
friendly to senior tourists because of its causes and also its amenities which are still very
limited. However, it is possible that the monas can be worked on more to be friendly to
seniors. Monas also needs to enforce regulations so that the situation inside Monas is even
more conducive. Access and amenities must also be improved and improved. With good
access and amenities, Monas can definitely or hopefully friendly tourists will be seniors.
Juliet Sutedja, Rudy Pramono
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 3178
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