Rebuilding the local government partnership model in tourism recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic: Case Study in Singkawang City, Indonesia

This research report explores government partnerships in the tourism sector in Singkawang City using the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism is also the sector that was first hit by restrictions on human mobility and will probably be the last to recover. This study aims to understand the condition of the tourism sector in Singkawang City during the COVID-19 pandemic and how this sector will recover in the future. To that end, this study explores the potential of multi-actor and multi-sector partnerships in restoring the tourism economy. Furthermore, this study uses a qualitative approach with in-depth online interviews with various tourism stakeholders in Singkawang City. This study resulted in a critical finding: the recovery of the tourism economy requires well-established strategic partnerships among various stakeholders. Partnerships must also be reciprocal and balanced for the recovery to run well. That is, a bottom-up approach should be prioritized; higher levels of the hierarchy should only facilitate the coordination process so that realities on the ground and national strategies are linked. This study makes a general recommendation that it is necessary to immediately reposition the government's role towards other stakeholders so that the ideal 'bottom-up' approach does not become mere rhetoric