Main Article Content
Abstract
Urban tourism continues to evolve as cities seek innovative ways to enhance visitor mobility and experiences. One promising initiative is the development of thematic tourist buses, which merge transportation and tourism concepts to create engaging, educational, and convenient travel options for visitors. This study explores the challenges and opportunities in implementing thematic tourist bus services in Palembang, Indonesia, focusing on their role as alternative urban tourism attractions. The research adopts a systematic literature review approach, analyzing 50 studies published between 2015 and 2025 that discuss urban tourism mobility, service quality, and tourism innovation. The findings reveal several challenges in developing thematic bus services, including limited integration with existing tourism infrastructure, inadequate coordination among stakeholders, and suboptimal route designs that reduce accessibility to key attractions. Furthermore, service quality issues-such as inconsistent schedules, insufficient information systems, and lack of comfort-affect passenger satisfaction and hinder the long-term sustainability of the program. Despite these challenges, significant opportunities emerge. The adoption of digital technology offers potential for improving service management, enhancing visitor engagement, and streamlining ticketing systems. The thematic approach also supports sustainable tourism goals by encouraging the use of shared transportation rather than private vehicles, thereby reducing traffic congestion and environmental impact. Moreover, the buses can serve as moving showcases for Palembang’s cultural and historical heritage, contributing to place branding and community pride. In conclusion, thematic tourist buses hold great promise as innovative urban tourism solutions that combine mobility, cultural interpretation, and visitor experience. Achieving long-term success will depend on integrated planning, consistent service quality management, and active collaboration among government bodies, the private sector, and local communities. Strengthening these areas can position thematic tourist buses as a model for sustainable and inclusive urban tourism development.