Managing heritage tourism in Toraja: strengthening local values and improving tourists’ experiences

ABSTRACT

Toraja, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is a tourist destination known best for its ethnicity and was one of the main tourist destinations in Indonesia during the 1990s. Since 2011, the government has again designated Toraja a priority strategic tourism area in its national tourism development plan. This case study describes opportunities for, and issues associated with, heritage tourism in Toraja and explores community perspectives on tourism. The fieldwork data and secondary data were used in preparing the detailed plan for the National Tourism Strategic Area of Toraja (KSPN Toraja). The opportunities for heritage tourism in Toraja include, among others, an emerging Asian market, better transport access to the region, and central government resources and programs to complement those of the local government. The core issues of local community concern include the need to conserve Torajan heritage and to strengthen local values; develop and nurture culture alongside tourism; balance heritage conservation with tourism; and the need for better interpretation to convey local wisdom to enhance the visitor experience.

KEYWORDS:

• Toraja
• heritage tourism
• community
• cultural conservation
• Indonesia
• ethnicity
• indigenous culture

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Devi Roza K. Kausar is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Tourism, Universitas Pancasila, Jakarta. She was involved in the preparation of the Detailed Plan for National Strategic Tourism Area of Toraja as one of the tourism experts.

Myra P. Gunawan is a Researcher at the Tourism Planning and Development Center, Institute Technology of Bandung and leader of consultant team in the development of the Detailed Plan National Strategic Tourism Area of Toraja. She had also served as the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Republic of Indonesia.

ORCID

Devi Roza Krisnandhi Kausar http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0860-5365