PERLUKAH GM HOTEL BINTANG 5 ORANG ASING?
Penunjukan GM asing pada hotel bintang 5 masih menjadi praktik umum, terutama pada properti jaringan internasional. Data Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan RI (2022) mencatat bahwa sekitar 38% GM hotel bintang 5 di Jakarta dan Bali merupakan tenaga kerja asing, berasal dari Eropa, Australia, dan Asia Timur.
Menurut laporan UNWTO – Tourism Employment Report (2021), GM asing sering dipilih karena dianggap membawa standar global, pengalaman lintas budaya, dan kepercayaan investor internasional. Bagi brand global, GM asing juga berfungsi sebagai penjaga konsistensi standar merek (brand compliance).
Namun, akademisi pariwisata Prof. Dr. I Gde Pitana (2022) menegaskan bahwa kompetensi GM tidak ditentukan oleh kewarganegaraan, melainkan oleh pengalaman, kepemimpinan, dan pemahaman pasar lokal. Banyak GM Indonesia telah sukses memimpin hotel internasional di luar negeri maupun di dalam negeri.
PHRI (2023) menilai bahwa ketergantungan pada GM asing seharusnya bersifat sementara dan strategis, khususnya untuk transfer pengetahuan dan pembangunan sistem. Tanpa strategi alih kompetensi, hotel justru berisiko kehilangan keberlanjutan SDM lokal.
Dengan meningkatnya kualitas pendidikan dan pengalaman profesional Indonesia, kebutuhan GM asing seharusnya dievaluasi secara objektif, bukan sebagai simbol prestise semata.
TIM
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SHOULD FIVE-STAR HOTELS APPOINT FOREIGN GENERAL MANAGERS?
The appointment of foreign General Managers in five-star hotels remains a common practice, particularly within international hotel chains. Data from the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower (2022) show that approximately 38% of five-star hotel GMs in Jakarta and Bali are foreign nationals, primarily from Europe, Australia, and East Asia.
According to the UNWTO Tourism Employment Report (2021), foreign GMs are often selected due to their perceived ability to uphold global standards, manage cross-cultural environments, and enhance investor confidence. For international brands, foreign GMs also function as custodians of brand consistency and compliance.
However, tourism scholar Prof. Dr. I Gde Pitana (2022) emphasizes that managerial competence is not determined by nationality, but by experience, leadership capacity, and understanding of local markets. Many Indonesian GMs have successfully led international hotels both domestically and abroad.
PHRI (2023) argues that reliance on foreign GMs should be temporary and strategic, particularly for knowledge transfer and system development. Without structured succession and capability transfer, hotels risk undermining the sustainability of local human capital.
As the quality of Indonesian hospitality education and professional experience continues to improve, the need for foreign GMs should be evaluated objectively, rather than maintained as a symbol of prestige.
THE TEAM
