NETWORK GOVERNANCE OF TOURISM SECTOR DURING IN COVID-19 PANDEMIC: CASE BINTAN REGENCY, INDONESIA

Abstract

Abstract: The development of tourism in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced a decline in tourism activities. This is due to the dominance of tourism depending on foreign tourists. Bintan Regency has a strategic area with the border of neighboring countries, strengthening Network Governance both formally and informally. This paper aims to analyze the current conditions involving stakeholders in the network governance dimension. The research method is a qualitative case study in Bintan Regency, primary data from informants through interviews including stakeholders and observations obtained by researchers then using triangulation techniques. Further analysis of the research discussion using a logical model is then analyzed in depth. The results showed that Network Governance in the tourism sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the management and leadership dimensions, did not involve all stakeholders. Furthermore, the Knowledge and Information Exchange dimension shows that the government still relies on social media as a platform. Then the dimensions of power and inter-organizational decision-making are dominated by the central government, which acts as a policymaker. However, the dimensions of legitimacy in recognition from the central government to develop priority destinations and the accountability of local and central governments are still constrained by the COVID-19 pandemic in the tourism sector, so that international tourism cooperation has not been able to implement. And finally, on the dimensions of performance and evaluation, the application of interpretation focuses on the principle of collaboration in the tourism sector during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluation on strengthening regulations for non-formal forums such as Sustainable Tourism Development because the law can strengthen network governance in the tourism sector in Bintan Regency in COVID-19 pandemic.
 Keywords: Network Governance, Tourism, COVID-19, Bintan Regerency