GOVERNANCE OF EXPERIENCE-BASED TOURISM NARRATIVES: REPRESENTATION OF NUSA PENIDA TOURISM PRODUCTS IN DIGITAL MARKETPLACES

Abstract

The rise of digital platforms has transformed the governance of tourism narratives, particularly in experience-based tourism where storytelling, visuals, and platform algorithms shape destination representation. This study investigates the governance dynamics behind digital representations of tourism products in Nusa Penida, Bali, across five major marketplace platforms: Klook, Viator, GetYourGuide, Traveloka Experience, and Airbnb Experience. Using qualitative digital observation and content analysis of 450 tourism experiences, the study identifies a dominant trend of narrative and visual homogenization, limited community involvement, and minimal integration of sustainability principles. These patterns are driven by platform-curated algorithms and commercial imperatives that marginalize local voices and reduce diverse cultural contexts into standardized visual products. Drawing on frameworks of collaborative and algorithmic governance (Ansell & Gash, 2008; Zuboff, 2019), the study highlights power asymmetries between global platforms and local tourism actors, revealing a regulatory gap in digital tourism content management. The findings underscore the need for inclusive, participatory governance mechanisms that enable ethical, context-sensitive representation of tourism destinations in the platform economy.