Dari Lorong Wisata hingga Dunia: Mahasiswa Pariwisata Unhas Eksplorasi Urban Tourism & MICE melalui Pembelajaran Kreatif
oleh Dirk Sandarupa
MAKASSAR — Pembelajaran mata kuliah Pariwisata Perkotaan dan MICE (Urban Tourism & MICE) pada Program Studi Pariwisata, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Hasanuddin dikembangkan tidak hanya melalui pemahaman teori, tetapi juga melalui rangkaian pembelajaran berbasis praktik, kreativitas, kolaborasi, dan eksplorasi destinasi.
Di bawah arahan Dr. Dirk Sandarupa, M.Hum., MCE, mahasiswa terlebih dahulu membangun pemahaman mengenai konsep Pariwisata Perkotaan dan MICE, termasuk bagaimana ruang perkotaan dapat dikembangkan menjadi ruang wisata, pengalaman budaya, kegiatan ekonomi kreatif, serta lokasi penyelenggaraan berbagai aktivitas MICE.
Pembelajaran kemudian diarahkan pada tema “Promoting Urban Tourism & MICE in Makassar”. Pada tahap ini, mahasiswa diajak melihat Kota Makassar sebagai ruang pariwisata yang memiliki beragam potensi, mulai dari daya tarik perkotaan, budaya, kuliner, ruang publik, hingga aktivitas pertemuan dan event.
Konsep tersebut selanjutnya diperdalam melalui pembahasan Lorong Wisata sebagai Urban Tourism & Micro-MICE. Lorong tidak hanya dipahami sebagai bagian dari permukiman kota, tetapi dapat dikembangkan menjadi ruang interaksi wisata yang menghubungkan masyarakat, budaya lokal, UMKM, kuliner, kreativitas, dan aktivitas berskala kecil. Melalui perspektif Micro-MICE, ruang komunitas juga dapat menjadi tempat bagi kegiatan meeting, gathering, workshop, pameran mini, maupun aktivitas kreatif lainnya dalam skala yang disesuaikan dengan karakter lingkungan.
Wawasan mahasiswa kemudian diperluas ke tingkat internasional melalui Table Top in South Korea, yang memberikan gambaran mengenai bagaimana sebuah destinasi perkotaan dapat dipromosikan secara kreatif melalui identitas destinasi, atraksi, budaya, fasilitas, teknologi, hingga penyelenggaraan MICE. Korea Selatan menjadi salah satu konteks pembelajaran untuk memahami hubungan antara urban tourism, industri kreatif, teknologi, budaya populer, dan MICE.
Puncak rangkaian pembelajaran diwujudkan melalui tugas “Promoting Urban Tourism & MICE Worldwide”. Mahasiswa Pariwisata Angkatan 2025 Kelas B dibagi menjadi lima kelompok yang masing-masing mempromosikan Thailand, France, Japan, Spain, dan Germany. Mereka ditantang untuk tidak sekadar mempresentasikan informasi suatu negara, tetapi mengemasnya sebagai sebuah pengalaman destinasi melalui presentasi, materi promosi, itinerary, atraksi, budaya, kuliner, serta berbagai media kreatif.
Kegiatan ini turut menghadirkan praktisi pariwisata Dr. Sukur Oda, M.Hum. sebagai juri bersama dosen pengampu. Penilaian difokuskan pada tiga aspek utama, yaitu kreativitas, pemahaman terhadap materi, dan kekompakan kelompok. Interaksi bersama praktisi sekaligus memberikan kesempatan kepada mahasiswa untuk memperoleh perspektif yang lebih dekat dengan kebutuhan dan dinamika industri pariwisata.
Berdasarkan hasil penilaian, Grup 4 – Spain berhasil meraih Juara 1, disusul Grup 1 – Thailand sebagai Runner Up, Grup 2 – France sebagai Juara 3, Grup 3 – Japan sebagai Juara 4, dan Grup 5 – Germany sebagai Juara 5.
Rangkaian pembelajaran ini menunjukkan perjalanan mahasiswa dari memahami konsep, membaca potensi kota sendiri, mengeksplorasi lorong sebagai ruang urban tourism dan Micro-MICE, mempelajari praktik internasional, hingga akhirnya berlatih mempromosikan destinasi dunia.
Bagi Dr. Dirk Sandarupa, M.Hum., MCE, pembelajaran pariwisata diharapkan membawa mahasiswa melampaui ruang kelas. Mahasiswa tidak hanya belajar tentang destinasi, tetapi juga belajar bagaimana membaca sebuah kota, menciptakan pengalaman, bekerja dalam tim, berkomunikasi, serta menghubungkan masyarakat dan budaya melalui pariwisata.
“Different Countries, One Classroom, A More Connected World.”
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From Tourism Alleys to the World: Hasanuddin University Tourism Students Explore Urban Tourism & MICE through Creative Learning
by Dirk Sandarupa
MAKASSAR — The Urban Tourism & MICE course at the Tourism Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Hasanuddin University, has been developed beyond theoretical classroom learning through a series of practical activities emphasizing creativity, collaboration, destination exploration, and experiential learning.
Under the guidance of Dr. Dirk Sandarupa, M.Hum., MCE, students began by developing a fundamental understanding of Urban Tourism and MICE, particularly how urban spaces can become tourism environments, cultural experiences, creative economic spaces, and venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, and other events.
The learning process then progressed to “Promoting Urban Tourism & MICE in Makassar.” Students were encouraged to view Makassar as a dynamic tourism space with diverse potential, ranging from urban attractions and cultural heritage to culinary experiences, public spaces, creative activities, meetings, and events.
The discussion was further developed through the concept of Tourism Alleys as Urban Tourism & Micro-MICE. Urban alleys were explored not merely as residential spaces, but as potential community-based tourism environments connecting local communities, culture, culinary products, micro-enterprises, creativity, and visitor experiences. From a Micro-MICE perspective, community spaces can also accommodate small-scale meetings, gatherings, workshops, mini exhibitions, and creative events adapted to local characteristics.
Students’ perspectives were subsequently expanded internationally through Table Top in South Korea, providing an opportunity to examine how an urban destination can creatively promote its identity, attractions, culture, facilities, technology, and MICE sector. South Korea served as an international learning context for exploring the connections between urban tourism, creative industries, technology, popular culture, and MICE.
The learning journey culminated in the project “Promoting Urban Tourism & MICE Worldwide.” Tourism students from the Class of 2025, Class B, were divided into five groups representing Thailand, France, Japan, Spain, and Germany. Rather than simply presenting information about each country, students were challenged to transform their presentations into destination experiences by incorporating tourism attractions, culture, culinary experiences, itineraries, promotional materials, and other creative media.
The activity also featured tourism practitioner Dr. Sukur Oda, M.Hum. as a judge alongside the course lecturer. The assessment focused on three key dimensions: creativity, understanding of the subject matter, and teamwork. The involvement of a tourism practitioner also provided students with valuable perspectives connecting academic learning with the realities and expectations of the tourism industry.
Following the assessment, Group 4 – Spain was awarded First Place, followed by Group 1 – Thailand as Runner-Up, Group 2 – France in Third Place, Group 3 – Japan in Fourth Place, and Group 5 – Germany in Fifth Place.
The entire learning sequence illustrates a progressive academic journey: from understanding the fundamental concepts of Urban Tourism and MICE, exploring Makassar’s urban tourism potential, examining Tourism Alleys through the lens of Urban Tourism and Micro-MICE, learning from international practices, and ultimately developing students’ ability to promote destinations from around the world.
For Dr. Dirk Sandarupa, M.Hum., MCE, tourism education should encourage students to move beyond the classroom. Students are expected not only to learn about destinations, but also to understand how to read a city, create meaningful experiences, collaborate effectively, communicate ideas, and connect people and cultures through tourism.
“Different Countries, One Classroom, A More Connected World.”
