Guided Interpretation in Religious Heritage Tourism: Exploring Visitor Experience at Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta
Abstract
Religious heritage sites serve as sacred places, as cultural resources, and as tourism attractions, and a need for interpretation arises that must be able to convey religious meaning while being accessible to a variety of visitors. The research explores guided interpretation and visitor experience in Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta. Descriptive qualitative field-research method was used through participant observation, in-depth semi-structured interviews and documentation. Four guided-tour sessions were observed, involving interviews with two guides and twelve visitors. Guided tours were analyzed based on Ham's TORE principles, Thematic, Organized, Relevant, and Enjoyable, and the role of the guide and the visitors' reactions were analyzed based on the concepts of the guide as an experience intermediary and multidimensional visitor experience. The findings show that guides interpret Istiqlal by telling the intertwined stories of the struggle for independence, Indonesian identity, Islamic identity, architectural symbolism, local Islamic culture and religious tolerance. From factual information, architectural features, Friedrich Silaban's story, the bedug and the mosque's connection with Jakarta Cathedral turn into an interpretive resource. The communication process is marked by the thematic storytelling, spatial sequencing, contextual comparison, and informal communication. Visitors reported that they learnt new things, that they had positive experienced in the mosque, and they were now more contextualized in their understanding of Islam in Indonesia. The study suggests that guided interpretation is an act that can make Istiqlal as communicated heritage, which is a religious monument physically transformed by guided interpretation that becomes an act of mediation in order to communicate the meaning of the monument to the visitors and the Indonesian identity
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