Sense of Place Tourist in Visiting Banda Aceh after Conflict and Natural Disaster, Earthquake and Tsunami Site

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand the meaning and subjective experiences of tourists visiting earthquake and tsunami disaster sites. The PLTD Apung Ship Museum in Banda Aceh serves as a reflective space that strengthens place identity, emotional attachment, empathy, and spiritual connectedness, while allowing visitors to more closely experience and reflect upon the suffering endured by the people of Aceh. This study employs a qualitative approach with a descriptive method, which is used to explore the phenomenon of sense of place in depth. Data were collected through field observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Data analysis was conducted interactively by selecting and condensing relevant information, organizing findings into descriptive narratives, and incorporating direct quotations from tourists to identify patterns of meaning and to interpret how tourists construct their sense of place at the PLTD Apung Ship Museum. The findings reveal that tourists’ sense of place is formed through three main types of meaning: spiritual meaning, educational meaning, and socio-emotional meaning. This study demonstrates that a sense of place can serve as an important foundation for the development of sustainable post-disaster tourism. Destination managers can strengthen interpretive and educational elements so that tourists not only enjoy the site but also understand its deeper meanings and values. The PLTD Apung Ship Museum has strong potential to serve as a model of an educational memorial destination that integrates the preservation of historical values with the development of tourists’ character and awareness.