Pengembangan Pariwisata Heritage melalui Penataan Ruang Kota Lama Kesawan dalam Meningkatkan Kunjungan Wisatawan di Kota Medan

Abstract

Kesawan Old Town is one of the urban heritage sites in Medan City, representing the early civilization of Medan while preserving its glorious history and being surrounded by heritage buildings. However, Kesawan Old Town has experienced dark times, with many of its buildings abandoned, neglected, and left by their owners, making it vulnerable to modernization. It is even said to be 'dead,' which has resulted in the decline of its urban heritage appearance, with a decrease in the area's vitality, the emergence of slums, and chaotic infrastructure, including numerous hanging utility cables, irregular space utilization, and a lack of street furniture. This has led to the degradation of Kesawan's function. Therefore, the researcher is interested in studying the development of heritage tourism through spatial planning in Kesawan Old Town. This research aims to understand the development of heritage tourism through spatial planning in Kesawan Old Town to increase tourist visits to Medan City. The tourism development indicators according to Cooper (1995) are attraction, accessibility, amenity, and ancillary services. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method, with the research object being Kesawan Old Town (Ahmad Yani Street). Data collection techniques include interviews, observations, and documentation. Informants were selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling methods, and data analysis techniques included data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The research results indicate that the development of tourism through attraction has shown an increase in visitor/tourist crowds, as it not only improves arcades, sidewalks, and drainage but also makes the space more beautiful and aesthetic. Secondly, accessibility is well-provided and easily reachable. Thirdly, amenities have become more vibrant due to the provision of supporting tourism facilities, and ancillary services are regularly monitored and reviewed. However, there are still areas that need improvement, such as increasing the variety of tourist attractions, providing toilets, maintenance and care, regular community outreach, and promoting through social media.