Representasi Komunikasi Pembangunan Pariwisata Bengkulu Melalui Festival Tabut 2025

Abstract

This study aims to determine how tourism development messages are represented through the 2025 Bengkulu Tabut Festival. It employs Stuart Hall’s theory of representation and utilizes a qualitative research method, with data collected through in-depth interviews with the Bengkulu Provincial Tourism Office and the event organizer, Areacorps Creative. Additionally, observations were conducted regarding the visual elements used within the festival grounds. The findings indicate that Areacorps Creative represents the Tabut Festival as a medium to convey messages regarding Bengkulu's tourism development; this is evidenced by the use of the "Bumi Merah Putih" (Red and White Land) visual element and the government program slogan "Bantu Rakyat" (Help the People). The study concludes that the Tabut tradition as a cultural identity was not the primary feature of the 2025 Bengkulu Tabut Festival.