Peran Strategis Festival Kesenian Rontek pada Perkembangan Pariwisata Budaya di Pacitan

Avionita Bekti Azhari, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Baiquni, M.A; Dr. Ir. Djoko Wijono, M.Arch

2026 | Tesis | S2 Magister Kajian Pariwisata

Festival Kesenian Rontek merupakan salah satu agenda budaya tahunan di Kabupaten Pacitan yang berpotensi berperan sebagai instrumen pengembangan pariwisata berbasis seni dan budaya lokal. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis peran Festival Kesenian Rontek dalam pengembangan pariwisata budaya berbasis ekonomi lokal serta mengkaji kontribusinya terhadap pelestarian seni tradisional melalui partisipasi masyarakat. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode studi kasus, melalui teknik pengumpulan data berupa wawancara mendalam dan observasi. Analisis data dilakukan secara deskriptif-analitis dengan mengacu pada kerangka event tourism, khususnya tipologi cultural celebrations.

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Festival Kesenian Rontek berperan strategis sebagai planned event dengan tipologi cultural celebration berbasis budaya yang mampu memperkuat identitas lokal dan membentuk sense of place, serta berkontribusi dalam memperluas citra Pacitan dari destinasi wisata alam pesisir menuju destinasi seni budaya. Namun demikian, peran festival sebagai penggerak ekonomi pariwisata masih belum optimal. Festival belum secara signifikan mendorong kunjungan wisatawan yang datang khusus untuk menyaksikan acara maupun meningkatkan tingkat hunian akomodasi. Dampak ekonomi yang dihasilkan cenderung bersifat temporer dan lebih dirasakan oleh sebagian pelaku ekonomi informal, sementara integrasi festival dengan sistem pariwisata daerah, pengemasan paket wisata, promosi profesional, serta regulasi akses ekonomi masih lemah.

Di sisi lain, Festival Kesenian Rontek terbukti berperan kuat dalam pelestarian seni tradisional melalui partisipasi aktif masyarakat lokal, khususnya generasi muda. Festival berfungsi sebagai cultural celebration yang menjadi ruang ekspresi kolektif, regenerasi pelaku seni, serta transmisi nilai-nilai budaya antargenerasi. Transformasi penyajian seni Rontek mencerminkan proses adaptasi budaya yang bersifat negosiatif antara pelestarian dan inovasi, sehingga pelestarian budaya tidak berlangsung secara statis. Secara keseluruhan, Festival Kesenian Rontek lebih efektif sebagai instrumen pelestarian budaya dan penguatan identitas sosial dibandingkan sebagai penggerak ekonomi pariwisata. Oleh karena itu, diperlukan strategi pengembangan yang integratif dan berkelanjutan agar festival ini dapat berfungsi optimal sebagai bagian dari portofolio pariwisata budaya berbasis komunitas di Kabupaten Pacitan.

The Rontek Arts Festival is one of the annual cultural events in Pacitan Regency that has the potential to serve as an instrument for developing tourism based on local arts and culture. This study aims to analyse the role of the Rontek Arts Festival in developing cultural tourism based on the local economy and to examine its contribution to the preservation of traditional arts through community participation. This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study method, through data collection techniques in the form of in-depth interviews and observations. Data analysis is carried out descriptively and analytically with reference to the event tourism framework, particularly the typology of cultural celebrations.

The results of the study indicate that the Rontek Arts Festival plays a strategic role as a planned event with a cultural celebration typology based on culture that is capable of strengthening local identity and forming a sense of place, as well as contributing to expanding Pacitan's image from a coastal nature tourism destination to a cultural arts destination. However, the role of the festival as a driver of the tourism economy is still not optimal. The festival has not significantly encouraged tourist visits specifically to witness the event or increase accommodation occupancy rates. The economic impact generated tends to be temporary and is felt more by informal economic actors, while the integration of the festival with the regional tourism system, the packaging of tour packages, professional promotion, and economic access regulations remain weak.

On the other hand, the Rontek Arts Festival has proven to play a strong role in preserving traditional arts through the active participation of the local community, especially the younger generation. The festival serves as a cultural celebration that provides a space for collective expression, regeneration of artists, and transmission of cultural values between generations. The transformation of Rontek art performances reflects a process of cultural adaptation that is a negotiation between preservation and innovation, so that cultural preservation does not take place in a static manner. Overall, the Rontek Arts Festival is more effective as an instrument of cultural preservation and social identity strengthening than as a driver of tourism economy. Therefore, an integrative and sustainable development strategy is needed so that this festival can function optimally as part of the community-based cultural tourism portfolio in Pacitan Regency. 

Kata Kunci : Festival Kesenian Rontek, event tourism, cultural celebrations, pelestarian budaya, ekonomi lokal.