IMPLEMENTATION OF CHILD-FRIENDLY CITY STANDARDS IN THE TOURISM DESTINATION: WORLD HERITAGE SITE OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL AXIS OF YOGYAKARTA

• Main Author: Fitria Andjanie, Isabella
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/87052
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Rapid urban growth often neglects the needs of children, especially in creating open spaces and child-friendly environments. This contrasts with the goals of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 11, which target sustainable and child-friendly cities and communities. This challenge is becoming more urgent, considering that up to 60 percent of the world's urban population is projected to be under 18 years old by 2030. Unfortunately, public spaces in many countries tend to be unfriendly to children, particularly in densely populated urban tourism destinations, such as Philosophical Axis of Yogyakarta. This research aims to fill a gap in the related literature by exploring the implementation of child-friendly city principles in the context of urban heritage tourist areas, specifically in the Philosophical Axis area of Yogyakarta. Although Yogyakarta has been designated as a Child-Friendly City since 2011, the tourism aspect of this initiative has been largely overlooked. This study focuses on assessing the extent to which facilities and policies in the Philosophical axis have met child-friendly city standards, given the high number of child visitors in the area. The primary objective of this study is to explore the extent to which child-friendly city principles are implemented in the development of the Sumbu Filosofi Yogyakarta tourism area and how this area can be optimized as an inclusive and child-friendly urban tourism destination. This research analyzes the components of tourism destinations, including accessibility, attractions, and supporting facilities in the Sumbu Filosofi area, by referencing three child-friendly city standards: the Child Rights Cluster from Indonesia’s Child-Friendly City program, the Five Goals of the Child-Friendly City Initiatives, and the Children’s Needs outlined in the Streets for Kids Guidelines. This study used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Data were collected through surveys, direct observation, and document analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to assess the extent to which child- friendly city principles are applied in the Philosophical Axis Tourism Destination The findings indicate that visits to this area are primarily driven by parental decisions, with minimal involvement of children in the planning process. Additionally, most visitors are unaware that the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reflecting a lack of public education and awareness. Overall, the Sumbu Filosofi area demonstrates three key child-friendly aspects: "safe and healthy," "comfortable and convenient," and "educational and playful." However, only the northern part (Zone I.C), particularly Malioboro street and its surroundings, has the most complete and high-quality child-friendly tourism facilities. The "comfortable and convenient" aspect is the strongest in this area, while the "safe and healthy" aspect is found to be less effective in its implementation, with some violations. Furthermore, the "educational and playful" aspect receives low ratings, both in terms of field implementation and from the visitors' perspective, due to insufficiently detailed policy planning.facilities in the Sumbu Filosofi area to be more inclusive and child friendly.