Strategy For Developing The Image of the Panjunan Arab Village Area with Tradition Insights in Cirebon

Panjunan Arab Village is a residential area located in Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia, with most of its inhabitants of Arab ethnicity. This ethnic group arrived in Indonesia and underwent various acculturation processes, giving rise to several unique mixed cultures. Previously, this area was known as the largest center for pottery craftsmanship in Cirebon. Although the traditional activity of pottery-making is no longer found today, several manifestations of tradition still characterize the acculturation with the Arab ethnicity, such as the Red Mosque of Panjunan, Middle Eastern cuisine, and Middle Eastern music. Simultaneously, the Local Government of Cirebon City, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Creative Works from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, has a strategic plan to develop the Arab Village as a tourist area by exposing the distinctive features of the region through its traditions. The research was conducted by designing a framework model that synthesizes the strategies of Destination Branding combined with the concept of the Innovation Guiding Pyramid. Data collection was validated using data triangulation and analyzed by comparing the embodiment of culture in past and present conditions, PEST Analysis to determine the enduring values of tradition after undergoing interventions, SWOT Analysis to generate strategic ideas, and finally, hybridity analysis to create strategy points based on considerations of all previous analyses. This research yields strategic recommendations to develop an accurate image of the Panjunan Arab Village while still incorporating traditional elements as a strength of its identity and considering the intervening factors that influence it.