Strategy of Managing Solo the Spirit of Java as a Branding Based on Smart Information Systems in Surakarta Indonesia

Abstract

The uniqueness of tourism destination is informed by tourism business actors to the world community as the branding to attract the tourist has not been done optimally. The objective of research is to analyze the strategy of managing Solo the Spirit of Java as the branding based on smart information systems in Surakarta Indonesia with Lupton’s Digital Sociology theory. This research used an exploratory qualitative method supported by secondary data collected through observation, in-depth interview and documentation. The informants of research are tourism business actors in Surakarta Indonesia selected using purposive sampling. Data were validated using source and method triangulation, and then analyzed using an interactive model of analysis. The result of research showed that branding Solo the Spirit of Java is uploaded and promoted through multimedia program by tourism business actors as individual, institution, and corporation and managed systemically. The tourism business actors in Surakarta Indonesia used name, tagline, symbol, design, media combination, video, image, and news to create positive image of tourism destination in Surakarta so that the number of tourists and the amount of foreign exchange increase annually. Information is disseminated through social media quickly and effectively throughout world.