Tourist Decision to Visit Barbate Date Palm Plantation: Attractions, Location, and Promotion

This study aims to determine the effect of attractiveness, location and promotion on the decision of tourists to visit the Barbate date palm plantation tour in Aceh Besar District. The sample of this research is 96 respondents using ancient formula. Measuring tool used is to use multiple linear regression. The research results produce the following equation: Y = 1.137 + 0.139 X 1 + 0.560 X 2 + 0.104 X 3 + e . The correlation coefficient (R) of 0.139 or 13.9% illustrates that tourist attraction, location and promotion influence visitor decisions Barbate Dates Farm Tour, Aceh Besar District. The coefficient of determination (R2) is 86.3% which indicates that tourist attraction, location and promotion influence visitor decisions Barbate Dates Garden Tourism in Aceh Besar District and 13.7% visitor decision rate Barbate Dates Garden Tourism in Aceh Besar Regency is influenced by variables that are not examined. The results showed that simultaneously and partially attractiveness, location and promotion had a significant effect on the decision of tourists to visit the Barbate date plantation tour, Aceh Besar District .


INTRODUCTION
Tourism has become the largest industry sector in various developed and developing countries, including Indonesia.According to the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 10 of 2009 on Tourism Article 1 paragraph (3), tourism is defined as various tourism activities supported by various facilities and services provided by the community, entrepreneurs, and the government.Indonesia strongly supports the development of its tourism industry.The current progress of the tourism industry in Indonesia is impressive, ranking 9th globally, 3rd in Asia, and 1st in Southeast Asia, based on data from the World Travel & Tourism Council.
The abundance of tourism potential and the allure of beauty in Indonesia attract both domestic and international tourists to travel within the country.This provides an opportunity for the government to make the tourism sector a leading industry.In addition to its natural potential, Indonesia also offers artificial attractions that are equally captivating.This naturally attracts a significant number of tourists, both from within and outside Indonesia, to explore, learn, and enjoy the diverse offerings.Ultimately, this becomes a component to increase revenue and foreign exchange for the country through the tourism service sector.
One such attraction is the Barbate Aceh Besar Date Palm Plantation.Regarding the location, one of the determining factors for visitor decisions, apart from the attractiveness of a location, is assessed based on accessibility, traffic, visibility, facilities, and the environment (Swastha, 2014:21).The arid and rocky conditions of the land made it challenging for landowners to utilize it for agriculture.Consequently, the landowners ventured into transforming the land into something unique and unimaginable by others, turning what was initially just idle land into the largest date palm plantation tourism area in Southeast Asia, as we know it today.Even during the pandemic, when the tourism sector experienced a decline in income due to various regulations to combat Covid-19, including restrictions on visits from international tourists, there were still local tourists visiting Barbate.
According to the managers of the Barbate Aceh Besar Date Palm Plantation, in the last 10 months, the number of visitors has not been as high as usual, and it has been relatively quiet.This is attributed to the pandemic, which raised concerns among the public and the government's regulations to close tourist places to avoid crowds.The Barbate Aceh Besar Date Palm Plantation was closed from May 2020 until the end of September 2020.Although it reopened to the public in October 2020, the number of visitors was not as high as before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Regarding the attraction of tourism, Afandi ( 2008) states that the attraction of tourism significantly influences tourist decisions.However, this opinion is contradicted by Hastuti (2015), who asserts that the attraction of a tourist destination does not significantly affect tourist decisions.This perspective is further supported by Schnurr, Nicola, and Sauer (2016), who claim that the variable of tourist attraction does not affect tourist decisions.
In another study related to the attractiveness of promotions, Dewa (2009) states that the attraction of promotions has a positive and significant impact on consumer buying interest.In a study conducted by Bachriansyah (2011), it was confirmed that the attraction of promotions has a positive and significant impact on consumer buying interest.However, this view differs from Meiliani and Ferdinand (2015), who state that the attraction of tourism does not positively and significantly affect tourist decisions.
There is still an interesting debate about the attraction of tourism and the attraction of promotions on tourist decisions.This indicates that there is still a gap or weakness that needs further exploration.

METHODS
The research adopts a quantitative approach.The determination of the sample size in this study uses the formula proposed by Purba in Widiyanto (2014), as stated below: =96.04 or 96, rounded to 96 respondents.The sampling technique employed for data collection is nonprobability sampling using accidental sampling, where the researcher attempts to select members of the population based on encountered attitudes or the availability of population members (Sugiyono, 2018).

Data Testing
1. Validity A measurement scale is considered valid if it measures what it is supposed to measure (Sarwono, 2017:218).Validity determination is based on the comparison of correlation values, moment-wise (r table).If the calculated correlation value (r calculated) is greater than the (r table) at a 95% confidence level, it can be interpreted that the questionnaire items are valid.

Reliability
The reliability criterion is the Cronbach's alpha value obtained through statistical calculations.Malhotra (2015:235) states that the minimum accepted Cronbach's alpha value is 0.60.This means that a questionnaire is considered reliable if the obtained Cronbach's alpha value is above 0.60.
3. Classical Assumption Testing a. Normality -If the data distribution is normal, the line representing the actual data will follow its diagonal line or be around the diagonal line (Qhozali, 2015:161).
c. Heteroskedasticity -Detection of heteroskedasticity can be done by observing any patterns in the scatterplot between SRESID and ZPRED, where the Y-axis and X-axis have been predicted.The X-axis is the residual (predicted Y -actual Y) that has been studentized.

Hypothesis Testing
1. Partial Test If t calculated < t table or P Value (significance value) > 0.05, then Ho is not rejected (Ha is not accepted).This means that the independent variable individually (partial) does not affect the dependent variable.If t calculated > t table or P Value (significance value) > 0.05, then Ha is not rejected (Ho is not accepted).This means that the independent variable individually (partial) affects the dependent variable.
2. Simultaneous Test If F calculated < F table or P Value (significance value) > 0.05, then Ho is not rejected (Ha is not accepted).This means that the independent variables together (simultaneously) do not affect the dependent variable.If F calculated > F table or P Value (significance value) > 0.05, then Ha is not rejected (Ho is not accepted).This means that the independent variables together (simultaneously) affect the dependent variable.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Validity Test
Data validity testing in this research was conducted statistically using the Pearson product-moment coefficient of correlation with the assistance of SPSS.All statements have correlation values above the critical value of 5%, which is above 0.202.Therefore, these statements are significant and have validity.In statistical terms, there is consistency (internal consistency), meaning that the statements measure the same aspect.This implies that the obtained data are valid.

Reliability Test
Reliability testing was performed with internal consistency or the degree of answer accuracy.The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for this test.The reliability test results, shown in Table 1, indicate that all variables have good reliability as the Cronbach's alpha values are above 0.60 and close to 1. Classical Assumption Testing a. Normality For normality testing, the study relies on graphical analysis generated through regression calculations with SPSS.Normal data is characterized by the distribution of data points around the diagonal line.

b. Multicollinearity
The multicollinearity test is based on the variance inflation factor (VIF) values obtained through statistical calculations.If VIF > 5.00, it indicates multicollinearity.Results show that all VIF values are below 5.00, indicating no multicollinearity.

Hypothesis Testing
The hypothesis states that the attractiveness of the location (X1) and promotional appeal (X2) influence the decision of visitors to the Barbate Date Palm Plantation in Aceh Besar Regency.The model used to predict this influence is presented in Table 3.

Simultaneous Test (F Test)
The F-test is used to examine the influence of the attractiveness of tourism and promotional appeal on the decision of tourists visiting the Barbate Date Palm Plantation in Aceh Besar Regency.If F-calculated > F-table, then H0 is rejected, and Ha is accepted.Conversely, if F-calculated < F-table, then H0 is accepted, and Ha is rejected.The results of the simultaneous test can be seen in Table 4.The research results indicate a significant and positive influence between tourism variables and tourist decision variables.This aligns with the theories presented by Schiele et al. (2012) and Chernev and Ryan (2009), explaining that tourism variables have a significant impact on tourist decisions.
The research findings state that the attractiveness of tourism collectively influences tourist decisions.Tourism variables individually influence tourist decisions.
In conclusion, this research supports the findings of Situmeang (2013), indicating that promotional appeal affects tourist decisions.The results also align with research conducted by Tampi et al. (2016) andAbel (2009), showing that promotional appeal has an impact on the decision-making of tourist consumers.

CONCLUSION
Based on the testing, processing, and analysis of the data conducted, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1. Partially, it shows that the attractiveness of the tourist destination influences the decision of visitors to the Barbate Date Palm Plantation in Aceh Besar Regency.2. Partially, it indicates that the location has an impact on the decision of visitors to the Barbate Date Palm Plantation in Aceh Besar Regency.3. Partially, it shows that promotional activities have a significant impact on the decision of visitors to the Barbate Date Palm Plantation in Aceh Besar Regency.

Table 2 : Multicollinearity Test Results
HeteroskedasticityThe heteroskedasticity test aims to determine whether there is a variance difference from one observation to another in a regression.A good regression model should have homoskedasticity.

Table 3 : Influence of Independent Variables on Dependent Variable
The t-test is used to examine the influence of the attractiveness of tourism and promotional appeal on the decision of tourists visiting the Barbate Date Palm Plantation in Aceh Besar Regency.If the t-calculated > t-table, then H0 is rejected, and Ha is accepted.Conversely, if t-calculated < t-table, then H0 is accepted, and Ha is rejected.