The purpose of this research is to understand why Indonesian communities continue to prioritize tourism, despite the dramatic vulnerability it revealed during the COVID 19 pandemic. We studied five tourism villages in Bali and Yogyakarta, during and after the Pandemic. From 2021 to 2024, using an intercultural approach, we conducted a multi-case study, based on hybrid methods and prioritizing qualitative analysis. Our methodology combined analysis of tourism statistics, study of the government policies, 40 semi-structured interviews with local and national stakeholders, and field observation. Our results demonstrate the complex relationship between tourism and vulnerability. On one hand, the hegemony of tourism heightens its susceptibility to crises. On the other hand, tourism development generates its own forms of economic, social, and cultural capital, enabling communities and individuals to endure periods of hardship. The communities in our study used the period of confinement not to withdraw from tourism, but to explore more sustainable tourism models. Nonetheless, environmental issues have received insufficient attention in this process.

The purpose of this research is to understand why Indonesian communities continue to prioritize tourism, despite the dramatic vulnerability it revealed during the COVID 19 pandemic. We studied five tourism villages in Bali and Yogyakarta, during and after the Pandemic. From 2021 to 2024, using an intercultural approach, we conducted a multi-case study, based on hybrid methods and prioritizing qualitative analysis. Our methodology combined analysis of tourism statistics, study of the government policies, 40 semi-structured interviews with local and national stakeholders, and field observation. Our results demonstrate the complex relationship between tourism and vulnerability. On one hand, the hegemony of tourism heightens its susceptibility to crises. On the other hand, tourism development generates its own forms of economic, social, and cultural capital, enabling communities and individuals to endure periods of hardship. The communities in our study used the period of confinement not to withdraw from tourism, but to explore more sustainable tourism models. Nonetheless, environmental issues have received insufficient attention in this process.