A Comparative Study on Tourist Motivations to LUSI Island and LUSI Pond in the Context of Post-Disaster Tourism

Abstract The Sidoarjo mudflow disaster (LUSI Disaster) took place in 2006 in the oil drilling area operated by PT Lapindo Brantas in Siring Village, Porong District, Sidoarjo Regency. It remains uncertain when the LUSI disaster will come to an end, despite significant reductions in the eruption’s volume. This paper will discuss an alternative perspective on the LUSI disaster, highlighting the existence of two tourist destinations, including LUSI Island and LUSI Pond, regarded as examples of Post Disaster Dark Tourism. LUSI Pond was established shortly after the LUSI eruption to safeguard nearby communities from the mudflow. LUSI Island emerged a decade later due to the deposition of sediment carried by mud into the Porong River. This study aims to compare the motivations of tourists visiting LUSI Island and LUSI Pond, as these two tourist destinations exhibit distinct characteristics. This study employs quantitative methods and utilizes analytical techniques, specifically multigroup factor analysis, a statistical technique comparing the average of latent variables, as well as the variance and covariance, across multiple groups. The discussed group in this study consists of the tourist destinations: LUSI Island and LUSI Pond. The study was conducted on samples obtained through a purposive sampling technique, specifically targeting individuals above the age of 17 who were not employed at the tourist destinations of LUSI Island and LUSI Pond. According to the research results, the primary motivation for tourists to visit LUSI Island is the motives of status and prestige. On the other hand, the main motivation for visiting LUSI Pond is driven by physical factors. In sum, the level of tourist motivation is higher on LUSI Island compared to LUSI Pond.