Analysis of Malaysian and Indonesian Foreign Policies in Campaigning for Disaster Aware Tourism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58794/sumur.v4i2.2445Keywords:
Foreign Policy; Disaster-Aware Tourism; Tourism Diplomacy; Disaster Risk Reduction; ASEAN Cooperation.Abstract
This study analyzes the foreign policies of Indonesia and Malaysia in promoting disaster-aware tourism as part of tourism diplomacy and sustainable development strategies. Using a qualitative approach with a comparative case study design and the Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) framework, this research examines policy documents, international agreements, and tourism governance strategies implemented by both countries. The findings indicate that Indonesia and Malaysia share a common commitment to utilizing tourism as an instrument of economic diplomacy, public diplomacy, and nation branding while supporting sustainable tourism development. However, both countries adopt different policy orientations. Malaysia emphasizes digital transformation, smart tourism, innovation, and destination competitiveness through the National Tourism Policy 2020–2030, whereas Indonesia prioritizes disaster risk reduction, destination resilience, community preparedness, and the integration of mitigation measures into tourism governance. At the regional level, ASEAN plays a strategic role through the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP), the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), and the ASEAN Tourism Forum, which facilitate cooperation in disaster management and sustainable tourism development. Nevertheless, disaster-aware tourism has not yet become a central agenda in the foreign policies of either country. The study recommends strengthening regional collaboration, harmonizing destination safety standards, enhancing risk communication systems, and integrating disaster mitigation into tourism diplomacy to create safer, more resilient, and sustainable tourism destinations in Southeast Asia.
Views
Downloads
References
[1] Y. Zhang, B. Moyle, K. Dupré, G. Lohmann, C. Desha, and I. MacKenzie, “Tourism and natural disaster management: A systematic narrative review,” Tour. Rev., vol. 78, no. 6, pp. 1466–1483, 2023.
[2] J. Rosselló, S. Becken, and M. Santana-Gallego, “The effects of natural disasters on international tourism: A global analysis,” Tour. Manag., vol. 79, p. 104080, 2020.
[3] J. Duan, C. Xie, and A. M. Morrison, “Tourism crises and impacts on destinations: A systematic review of the tourism and hospitality literature,” J. Hosp. Tour. Res., vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 667–695, 2022.
[4] C. Estevão and C. Costa, “Natural disaster management in tourist destinations: a systematic literature review,” Eur. J. Tour. Res., vol. 25, p. 2502, 2020.
[5] D. S. Miller, “Abrupt new realities amid the disaster landscape as one crisis gives way to crises,” Worldw. Hosp. Tour. Themes, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 304–311, 2021.
[6] G. P. Nyaupane, “Himalayan vulnerabilities and resilience: Climate change and natural disasters, shifting physical landscapes, and development,” in Tourism and Development in the Himalaya, Routledge, 2022, pp. 39–54.
[7] S. C. K. Pedapalli, B. Gupta, and P. Mahajan, “Climate change and tourism: a paradigm for enhancing tourism resilience in SIDS,” Worldw. Hosp. Tour. Themes, vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 431–440, 2022.
[8] B. W. Ritchie and Y. Jiang, “Risk, crisis and disaster management in hospitality and tourism: a comparative review,” Int. J. Contemp. Hosp. Manag., vol. 33, no. 10, pp. 3465–3493, 2021.
[9] F. Zhang, Y. Lv, and M. N. I. Sarker, “Resilience and recovery: A systematic review of tourism governance strategies in disaster-affected regions,” Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct., vol. 103, p. 104350, 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104350.
[10] M. Breiling, “Global rural value chains and the role of natural disasters in their transformation,” J. Soc. Econ. Dev., vol. 23, no. Suppl 3, pp. 540–567, 2021.
[11] A. Trupp, C. Dolezal, and H. T. Bui, “Mapping tourism, sustainability, and development in Southeast Asia,” in Tourism and development in Southeast Asia, Routledge, 2020, pp. 3–22.
[12] Z. Wahyono and M. A. A. Razak, “Islamic tourism in Southeast Asia: The concept and its implementation,” Int. J. Halal Res., vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 90–105, 2020.
[13] H. Mustafa, B. Omar, and S. N. S. Mukhiar, “Measuring destination competitiveness: an importance-performance analysis (IPA) of six top island destinations in South East Asia,” Asia Pacific J. Tour. Res., vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 223–243, 2020.
[14] A. Trupp and C. Dolezal, “Tourism and the sustainable development goals in Southeast Asia,” ASEAS-Austrian J. South-East Asian Stud., vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1–16, 2020.
[15] K. M. Adams, J. Choe, M. Mostafanezhad, and G. T. Phi, “(Post-) pandemic tourism resiliency: Southeast Asian lives and livelihoods in limbo,” Tour. Geogr., vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 915–936, 2021.
[16] W. Karim, A. Haque, Z. Anis, and M. A. Ulfy, “The movement control order (MCO) for COVID-19 crisis and its impact on tourism and hospitality sector in Malaysia,” Int. Tour. Hosp. J., vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 1–7, 2020.
[17] M. A. A. Khan and H. Hashim, “The effect of Covid-19 on tourism and hospitality industry in Malaysia, resurgence in the post-pandemic Era: A conceptual criterion,” Int. J. Tour. Hosp. Rev., vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 54–62, 2020.
[18] R. Hamid, N. H. M. Hashim, S. A. M. Shukur, and N. H. Marmaya, “The impact of COVID-19 on Malaysia tourism industry supply chain,” Int. J. Acad. Res. Bus. Soc. Sci., vol. 11, no. 16, pp. 27–41, 2021.
[19] K. Balasubramanian and M. H. Hanafiah, “What innovations would enable the tourism and hospitality industry in Malaysia to rebuild?,” Worldw. Hosp. Tour. Themes, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 596–603, 2022.
[20] S. Abhari, A. Jalali, M. Jaafar, and R. Tajaddini, “The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on small businesses in tourism and hospitality industry in Malaysia,” J. Res. Mark. Entrep., vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 75–91, 2022.
[21] M. Hmedan and V. R. K. Chetty, “Malaysian Tourism Sector: Technical Review on Policies and Regulations.,” Eurasian J. Anal. Chem., vol. 18, no. 1, 2023.
[22] H. Wijoyo, K. Aseh, K. Kenny, and P. R. Pathmathan, “Predictors That Leads To Socio Economic Success Of Local Communities,” Haudi, Aseh, K., Kenny, K., Pathmathan, PR (2020). Predict. That Leads To Socio Econ. Success Local Communities. Arch. Bus. Res., vol. 8, no. 11, pp. 62–79, 2020.
[23] S. Maryanti, P. Widayat, and N. Lubis, “Economic transformation to get out of the middle income trap condition to reach Indonesia Gold 2045,” ADPEBI Int. J. Bus. Soc. Sci., vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 63–78, 2023.
[24] S. Yaghmour, I. Ullah, K. Hussain, T. Alharethi, and A. N. Razali, “Developing a Structural Framework for Sustainable Islamic Tourism Development: A PLS-SEM Approach,” Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. Humanit., vol. 34, no. 3, p. 1613, 2026.
[25] M. S. PAIMEN, K. F. See, and H. N. Waked, “SUSTAINABLE AGROTOURISM IN MALAYSIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT, SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS, AND FUTURE CHALLENGES,” J. Econ. Sustain., vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 1–15, 2026.
[26] Q. Y. Lee, C. L. Goi, A. H. Zins, S. Adeyinka-Ojo, N. Sabani, and A. Jimmie, “Exploring digital storytelling contexts from cultural heritage for effective tourism destinations marketing: A study on Sarawak, Malaysia,” J. Destin. Mark. Manag., vol. 41, p. 101112, 2026.
[27] H. S. Disemadi, M. S. M. Bajury, N. Nurlaily, R. Anggraini, and D. A. Sihombing, “IPR-Based Sustainable Tourism: Comparative Analysis of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand,” Leg. J. Ilm. Huk., vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 113–136, 2026.
[28] M. R. Lessy, J. Lassa, and K. K. Zander, “Towards Resilient Communities: Adopting Destana Standard to Measure Community Resilience for Small Islands in Indonesia,” Environ. Manage., vol. 76, no. 1, p. 6, 2026.
[29] F. Dwirahmadi, “Disaster Management Strategies in Response to Climate Change: A Focus on Climate-Vulnerable Coastal Areas in Indonesia,” in Climate Change, Labour and Migration in Indonesia: Impacts on Women and Children, Springer, 2026, pp. 149–170.
[30] M. C. Malesi, “Community-led coastal resilience: Integrating local knowledge and collaborative disaster management,” J. Disaster Manag. Community Resil., vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 59–73, 2026.
[31] Z. Sulaiman, M. A. R. A. Rahim, A. Mas’ od, M. Abdullah, N. A. Fahim, and N. B. Hassan, “Risk and Tourism Marketing in Malaysia (2000–2030),” in Risk and Tourism Marketing in Asia, Routledge, pp. 107–124.
[32] K. Koga, “ASEAN’s Institutional Strategic Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific,” J. Curr. Southeast Asian Aff., p. 18681034261437416, 2026.
[33] H. Yoshimatsu, “Essay 39: ASEAN’s Presence in Regionalism: Challenges and Possibilities in Indo-Pacific Geopolitics,” Essays Glob. Reg. II Will Reg. Save World?, pp. 395–402, 2026.
[34] A. G. Akbar, A. P. Iswara, and H. Saputra, “Efforts to Enhance Preparedness for Forest and Land Fire Disasters,” J. Kesehat. Lingkung. J. dan Apl. Tek. Kesehat. Lingkung., vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 47–58, 2026.
[35] M. Budiatiningsih, A. B. Singandaru, B. N. Ulya, H. Minanda, and L. Mariana, “Analysis of Factors Influencing Visitors’ Disaster Awareness in Disaster-prone Destinations in West Nusa Tenggara Province,” TRJ Tour. Res. J., vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 78–95, 2026.
[36] A. D. B. Cook, J. Lassa, and M. Caballero-Anthony, “Missing targets: reforming disaster policy in Southeast Asia,” J. Asian Public Policy, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 22–40, 2026.
[37] Y. Z. Haftel and S. Lukin, “Institutional Overlap in the Disaster Relief Regime Complex: The Case of ASEAN and the ADPC,” Alternatives, p. 03043754261439216, 2026.
[38] B. W. Ritchie, “Chaos, crises and disasters: a strategic approach to crisis management in the tourism industry,” Tour. Manag., vol. 25, no. 6, pp. 669–683, 2004.
[39] C. M. Hall, G. Prayag, and A. Amore, Tourism and resilience: Individual, organisational and destination perspectives, vol. 5. Channel View Publications, 2017.
[40] A. Secretariat, “ASEAN community based tourism standard,” Jakarta ASEAN Secr., 2016.
[41] U. UNISDR, “Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030,” in Proceedings of the 3rd United Nations World Conference on DRR, Sendai, Japan, Vol. 1, 2015.
[42] B. Faulkner, “Towards a framework for tourism disaster management,” in Managing tourist health and safety in the new millennium, Routledge, 2013, pp. 155–176.
[43] J. W. Creswell and J. D. Creswell, Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications, 2017.
[44] D. Hudson, “From political economy to political analysis,” 2014, DLP.
[45] Z. T. Haile, “About Research-The utility of secondary data analysis in breastfeeding research: Opportunities and challenges,” J. Hum. Lact., vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 16–21, 2025.
[46] P. Singh, V. K. Singh, and R. Piryani, “Scholarly article retrieval from Web of Science, Scopus and Dimensions: A comparative analysis of retrieval quality,” J. Inf. Sci., vol. 52, no. 2, pp. 416–428, 2026.
[47] P. Mayring, “Qualitative content analysis: Theoretical background and procedures,” in Approaches to qualitative research in mathematics education: Examples of methodology and methods, Springer, 2014, pp. 365–380.
[48] F. G. Kern, “The trials and tribulations of applied triangulation: Weighing different data sources,” J. Mix. Methods Res., vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 166–181, 2018.
[49] F. Nazir, J. Kumar, G. Sangaran, H. Ali, and M. Valeri, “Exploring Tourism Diplomacy: Strategies Implementation for Strengthening Global Relations in Malaysia,” Tour. An Int. Interdiscip. J., vol. 73, no. 3, pp. 487–500, 2025.
[50] R. Farber and A. Taylor, “Global health diplomacy and commodified health care: health tourism in Malaysia and Thailand,” Stud. Comp. Int. Dev., vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 484–510, 2023.
[51] M. Y. Putri and A. Purnawarman, “ASEAN tourism forum efforts to increase tourist visits in Southeast Asia,” Res. Horiz., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 137–148, 2024.
[52] L. C. Abueg, “ASEAN integration and tourism: Towards a sustainable and inclusive regional tourism program,” People, planet, profit Princ. Pract. Sustain. Tour., pp. 431–464, 2023.
[53] M. M. R. Wong and A. M. Said, “Consequences of the 2004 Indian ocean tsunami in Malaysia,” Saf. Sci., vol. 121, pp. 619–631, 2020.
[54] C. K. Yap and A. D. Setyawan, “Transboundary air pollution in Southeast Asia, 2000–2025: A bibliometric map and strategic roadmap for governance and resilience,” Southeast Asia Dev. Res., vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 69–88, 2025.
[55] M. F. Samsudin, Y. C. Lim, T. N. Rochmah, and M. Dahlui, “Revisiting the policy implications of medical tourism in the post-COVID-19 pandemic from a Malaysian perspective: a qualitative study,” Cureus, vol. 16, no. 7, 2024.
[56] M. Nuruzzaman and N. M. Sarker, “Joseph Nye’s Soft Power Theory and the Dynamics of China-India Soft Power Competition in South Asia: A Comparative Analysis,” Int. Spect., vol. 60, no. 4, pp. 40–59, 2025.
[57] A. Milner, “Long-term themes in Malaysian foreign policy: hierarchy diplomacy, non-interference and moral balance,” Asian Stud. Rev., vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 117–135, 2020.
[58] S. K. Abid, N. Sulaiman, A. M. Al-Wathinani, and K. Goniewicz, “Community-based flood mitigation in Malaysia: Enhancing public participation and policy effectiveness for sustainable resilience,” J. Glob. Health, vol. 14, p. 4290, 2024.
[59] M. Fuady, R. Munadi, and M. A. K. Fuady, “Disaster mitigation in Indonesia: between plans and reality,” in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, IOP Publishing, 2021, p. 12011.
[60] A. Susanti, I. Waris, I. Kamindang, and M. Afandi, “Implementation of Disaster-Resilient Village (DESTANA) Principles Based on Local Wisdom,” Al-Zayn J. Ilmu Sos. Huk., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 7771–7774, 2026.
[61] R. Gustiawan, E. Hermawan, N. Kamilah, and D. Primasari, “Spatial Distribution Analysis of Land Use, Land Surface Temperature, and Temperature-Humidity Index in Bogor City in 2004, 2014, and 2024,” J. Penelit. Geogr., vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 187–206, 2025.
[62] M. Mardialina, S. Anam, L. P. Karjaya, A. Hidayat, and B. U. S. Lestari, “The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre): Examining Gender-Based Approach in the 2018 Lombok Earthquake,” J. ASEAN Stud., vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 231–261, 2024.
[63] C. Fajri, N. Sari, I. K. Fathurrahman, M. N. Farihanto, and D. Fadillah, “Artificial intelligence-based risk communication for traveller protection in Indonesia,” COMMICAST, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 159–173, 2025.
[64] R. Butler, “Measuring tourism success: alternative considerations,” Worldw. Hosp. Tour. Themes, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 11–19, 2022.
[65] G. Tercovich, Assessing EU leadership in inter-regional relations: the case of the institutionalisation of ASEAN disaster management. Routledge, 2022.
[66] D. Jayaram and R. Ajayan, “Human security in times of climate change: Climate diplomacy for integrated action,” in Disaster risk reduction for resilience: Disaster risk management strategies, Springer, 2022, pp. 261–293.
[67] K. C. S. Wibawa, M. Mahfud, B. Ispriyarso, A. Natalis, and Y. R. Sipayung, “INTEGRATION OF PENTAHELIX COLLABORATION IN GREEN INFORMATION ACCESS: RECONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC POLICY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION IN INDONESIA AND JAPAN.,” Int. J. Ecosyst. Ecol. Sci., vol. 16, no. 2, p. 71, 2026.
[68] I. Sepúlveda, J. S. Haase, M. Carvajal, X. Xu, and P. L. F. Liu, “Modeling the sources of the 2018 Palu, Indonesia, tsunami using videos from social media,” J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, vol. 125, no. 3, p. e2019JB018675, 2020.
[69] A. Burhanuddin, A. D. Magfirah, N. O. Guntur, K. A. M. Bubun, M. D. Rizqilah, and A. Apriliani, “Peran ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) dalam Penanggulangan Bencana Alam di Indonesia”.
[70] D. S. Rahayu and D. Sulistyawati, “Implikasi Asean Tourism Strategic Plan (Atsp) 2016-2025 Dalam Pengembangan Project Ten New Bali’S Indonesia,” Dauliyah J. Islam Int. Aff., vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 227–249, 2021.
[71] K. Fathi, Multi-Resilience-Development-Sustainability. Springer, 2022.
[72] S. D. Lestari, F. M. Leon, S. Riyadi, and A. H. P. K. Putra, “Comparison and implementation of environmental law policies in handling climate change in ASEAN countries: A comparative study of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand,” Int. J. Energy Econ. Policy, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 687–700, 2024.
[73] I. Awani and N. Hayati, “Indonesia’s Efforts in Developing Halal Tourism through the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT),” SUVANNABHUMI, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 229–269, 2024.
[74] B. M. Musthofa, D. Pranita, M. S. Rasul, and B. M. Haidlir, “Institutional dynamics of halal tourism development in Indonesia and Malaysia,” Jas (Journal ASEAN Stud., vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 21–41, 2023.
[75] K. W. AWANG and N. O. R. S. ZULKEFLI, TOURISM PLANNING AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT FORCES OF CHANGE, PROCESSES, AND RELATIONSHIPS. UMK PRESS, 2025.
[76] B. Anggara, R. Sumardani, and C. D. Martina, “A Systematic Literature Review on The Economic Impact of Local Communities on High Priority Destinations in the Indonesian area,” Sadar Wisata J. Pariwisata, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 156–168, 2025.
[77] Y. Utami, “Legal Dynamics in The Development of The Tourism Business World in Indonesia (A Study of Riau Province in 2024),” J. Int. Off. Nobile, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 35–46, 2025.
[78] J. O. Putri, N. Azizah, and U. Y. F. Silalahi, “STRATEGIC INITIATIVES BY THE INDONESIAN CONSULATE GENERAL IN DAVAO CITY TO STRENGTHEN BILATERAL TOURISM TIES BETWEEN INDONESIA AND THE PHILIPPINES,” J. Soc. Polit. Gov., vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 108–123, 2025.
[79] Y. N. Aini, “Sustainable tourism in Southeast Asia: Balancing economic growth, employment, and carbon emissions through evidence-based strategies,” J. Kepariwisataan Indones. J. Penelit. dan Pengemb. Kepariwisataan Indones., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 157–174, 2024.
[80] D. A. K. Pandey and P. Mitra, “Sacred corridors and strategic connectivity: Buddhist geographies and India–ASEAN cooperation,” GeoJournal, vol. 91, no. 2, p. 27, 2026.
[81] P. Phob-udom, Y. Zhao, C. Chumnanont, A. Yaiyong, and T. Chutiphongdech, “Comparative analysis of tourism policies among ASEAN member countries: A documentary research approach,” Asia Soc. Issues, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. e272910–e272910, 2025.
[82] S. Nonthapot, T. Watchalaanun, C. Chaiboonsri, and H. H. Lean, “The Analysis of Relationships Among Tourism, Globalization, and Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia,” Sage Open, vol. 15, no. 4, p. 21582440251363864, 2025.
