Economy Thrives From Downtown to Foothills

Tourism has revived with thriving economic activity in Malang and Batu, from all corners in towns to rural areas in the foothills. Post-Covid-19 economic recovery has reinvigorated the lives of those in tourist village.

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A number of young people enjoying the night in the Kayutangan Corridor, Malang City, East Java, Sunday (9/4/2023). This area is now visited by many visitors, especially young people who want to hang out while enjoying the atmosphere.

Crowds of people had gathered in the western part of the Kayutangan Heritage Area, also known as the Kayutangan Corridor, in Malang, East Java, on Sunday evening (9/4/2023). They were watching the "Hop Lah Hope" Ari-Art Solo Exhibition by Abqoriyin Hizan, a street artist from Bondowoso who has been a regular performer at art exhibitions in the city for the last 12 years.

The "Hop Lah Hope" exhibition held this time was a social criticism oof the latest developments in Malang, from floods to traffic management by the municipal administration, and to the deadly Kanjuruhan Stadium Tragedy. All were presented in a vivid visualization of characters.

The art exhibition that evening was immersed in the hustle and bustle along the Kayutangan Corridor, which seems to have recently regained its heartbeat. The pedestrian area looked more spacious and neater today, ever since the one-way traffic policy was implemented on Jl. Basuki Rahmat on 20 Feb.

The road patch-up work in 2020 has given the area a polished look, with the asphalt pavement replenished with andesite at several points.

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The municipal government also installed some 100 classic street lamps on both sides of the road as part of the Kayutangan Heritage rejuvenation project.

"It's relaxing to hang out here. The atmosphere is lively," said Zain Maulana (21), a student at Brawijaya University. He was perched atop a bench with his friends as they savored the atmosphere in Kayutangan at night.

As far as the eye could see, the atmosphere that night in the Kayutangan Corridor in downtown Malang was a stark contrast to the atmosphere during the day, when it was deserted while people observed the holy fasting month. Shops, cafes, restaurants, and other places of business along the 850-meter road next to the Rajabali intersection were quiet.

"After maghrib [dusk prayer], it is crowded with visitors. In fact, people hang around there until 2 a.m.," said Fiska Wilensky (25), manager of Hwie coffee shop.

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A number of visitors enjoyed culinary delights at a cafe in the Kayutangan Corridor, Malang City, East Java, Sunday (9/4/2023).

Hwie coffee shop, located in a Dutch art deco-style building, only opened two days ago, but people have already shown high interest. During its opening on Saturday night, it welcomed 130 customers.

Drifting away from Kayutangan Corridor, a thriving atmosphere can also be found in the Kauman area, which shows signs that the economic wheel has begun turning again after almost three years of the pandemic. Here, visitors can enjoy a view of the old buildings that have been preserved.

In this area, infrastructure inherited from the Dutch still exists.

A guide is ready to take visitors on a walking tour along the alleys between buildings. Signposts are available to help those who choose to explore by themselves navigate the area.

“In this area, infrastructure inherited from the Dutch still exists, such as bridges with culverts underneath. People won’t be aware about these if they don't explore the area deeper," said Ninik Abdilah, coordinator of Kayutangan Heritage Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Orders flow in

Apart from Kayutangan, economic activities are also bustling in Dinoyo, a designated tourist village known as a ceramics production center.

During a visit on Tuesday (4/4), several workers were busy painting and polishing ceramics in a workshop. In front, various ceramic products, such as flower vases, cups and liquid soap dispensers, were dying in the sun.

"After the pandemic, orders from Jakarta have continued to flow in. Cafes, some of which have just opened, order new cups with specific shapes. Some cafes even ordered thousands of cups as free take-away gifts [for customers],” said Suharto, the owner of the ceramics workshop.

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Souvenir shops are now replenishing their stock with decorative ceramics of various shapes and colors. These shops are usually flooded with buyers during the Idul Fitri holiday season.

Tourism is also driving the rural economy in Batu, as was evident in Tulungrejo village of Bumiaji district. Lying in the southwestern foothills of Mount Arjuno, the village is home to what the local residents call Bon Desa Café (village café). A village-owned enterprise (BUMDes), the café is managed by housewives grouped in the Family Welfare Movement (PKK).

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The gate enters the Bon Desa Cafe in Tulungrejo Village, Bumiaji District, Batu City, East Java, Monday (10/4/2023).

The café opened in 2020 in a former agricultural warehouse. The vegetable farm surrounding it lends it a scenic backdrop. There is also a swimming pool and a children's playground.

Café attendant Nur Arofah (45) said reservations had increased after the pandemic. Now that the Idul Fitri holiday was approaching, the café had received bookings for 20 tour groups in one month. Before, it had less than 10 group reservations.

“We work with the Tulungrejo Tourist Village authorities,” she said, adding that the café was ready to receive the visitors.

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Some 3 kilometers to the south of Tulungrejo is Sidomulyo, which appeals to visitors for its cultivation of flowers. Since the pandemic subsided, the flower business has gone into a frenzy. This has in turn increased the incomes of the local residents, whose livelihood relies on the business.

"Around 80 percent of Sidomulyo's population are flower farmers," said Sidomulyo Tourist Village head Abdul Rokhim.

Lita Irawati, an official at the Malang Youth, Sports and Tourism Office, said revenues from the tourism industry, which generated Rp 1.6 trillion in 2022, was projected to increase as the pace of post-pandemic recovery began to pick up.

Meanwhile, data from the Batu Tourism and Culture Office show that 7,445,799 people visited in 2022. This was far above the figures recorded during the pandemic, with 2.4 million visitors in 2020 and 3.5 million in 2021. Tourist money flow amounted to 744.5 billion in 2022, excluding money spent on accommodation, restaurants, souvenirs and other tourist facilities and services.

The recovery of local tourism, marked by the revival of economic activities in Kayutangan, Dinoyo, Sidodadi, and Tulungrejo as well as other tourist villages, has brought hope to the local residents. It augurs well for the future.

This article was translated by Musthofid.