Evaluating Potential Tourist Attractions for Sustainable Tourism Development: A SWOT Analysis Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11137/1982-3908_2025_48_64485Keywords:
Strategic planning, Stakeholder engagementAbstract
Pematangsiantar City in Indonesia, a natural, historical, and culinary tourism hub, has tourism attraction potential and requires an enhancement in development strategy. The study aims to assess the tourism potential through a comprehensive SWOT analysis. We identify three key tourist attractions: Bah Bolon Siantar Artventure (combining rafting and art tourism), Birmingham Small Arms
Monument (historical tourism), and Siantar Square (culinary tourism). The study highlights the attractions’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and outlines a sustainable development strategy. The findings indicate that an integrated approach combining offensive, competitive, and defensive strategies enhances the tourism sector’s resilience and contributes to long-term sustainability. The research underscores the importance of collaborative governance and community engagement in effective tourism development. The other strategies are the necessity for increased budget allocations and consistent strategic planning. The study’s limitations rely on the need for more stakeholder representation and a larger sample size of visitors and local communities. Future research could involve examining the city’s overall development strategy as a tourism destination and assessing the impact of implemented strategies on longterm sustainability, thereby providing a roadmap for sustainable tourism development.
Downloads
References
Afrisal, A.F. 2022, ‘Collaborative governance in tourism development policy’, Journal of Social Science, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 1266-70, DOI:10.46799/jss.v3i6.478. https://doi.org/10.46799/jss.v3i6.478
Alamineh, G.A., Hussein, J.W., Endaweke, Y. & Taddesse, B. 2023, ‘The local communities' perceptions on the social impact of tourism and its implication for sustainable development in Amhara regional state’, Heliyon, vol. 9, no. 6, pp 1-17, DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17088.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17088
Allawi, A.H. 2022, ‘Towards smart trends for tourism development and its role in the place sustainability-Karbala Region, a Case study’, International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, vol 17, no. 3, pp. 931-39, DOI:10.18280/ijsdp.170323. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.170323
Amani, D. & Chao, E. 2023, ‘How does destination governance build residents' behavioral support towards destination branding: An empirical study of the tourism sector in Tanzania’, Cogent Social Sciences, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 1-17, DOI:10.1080/23311886.2023.2192441. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2192441
Andayani, S.A., Umyati, S., Dinar, -, Tampubolon, G.M., Ismail, A.Y., Dani, U., Nugraha, D.R. & Turnip, A. 2022, ‘Prediction model for agro-tourism development using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system method’, Open Agriculture, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 644-55, DOI:10.1515/opag-2022-0086. https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2022-0086
Bhatta, K.D. & Joshi, B.R. 2023, ‘Community collaboration with tourism stakeholders: issues and challenges to promote sustainable community development in Annapurna Sanctuary Trail, Nepal’, Saudi Journal of Engineering and Technology, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 146-54. DOI:10.36348/sjet.2023.v08i06.004. https://doi.org/10.36348/sjet.2023.v08i06.004
Burbano, D.V., Valdivieso, J.C., Izurieta, J.C., Meredith, T.C. & Ferri, D.Q. 2022, ‘Rethink and reset tourism in the Galapagos Islands: stakeholders' views on the sustainability of tourism development’, Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights, vol. 3, no. 2, pp 1-12, DOI:10.1016/j.annale.2022.100057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2022.100057
Cabral, F.D.F., Yin, C., Wague, J.L.T. & Yin, Y. 2023, ‘Analysis of China-Angola agricultural cooperation and strategies based on SWOT Framework’, Sustainability (Switzerland), vol. 15, no. 10, pp. 1-20, DOI:10.3390/su15108378. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15108378
Chen, M.S., Ko, Y.T. & Lee, L.H. 2018, ‘The relation between urban riverbank reconstruction and tourism attractiveness shaping-a case study of Love River in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’, Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 353-60, DOI:10.3130/jaabe.17.353. https://doi.org/10.3130/jaabe.17.353
Confetto, M.G., Conte, F., Palazzo, M. & Siano, A. 2023, ‘Digital destination branding: A framework to define and assess European DMOs practices’, Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, vol. 30, 100804, pp 1-15, DOI:10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100804
Crotts, J.C., Magnini, V.P. & Calvert, E. 2022, ‘Key performance indicators for destination management in developed economies: A four-pillar approach’, Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights , vol. 3, no. 2, pp 1-7, DOI:10.1016/j.annale.2022.100053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2022.100053
Cudny, W. & Appelblad, H. 2019, ‘Monuments and their functions in urban public space’, Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift, vol. 73, no. 5, pp. 273-89, DOI:10.1080/00291951.2019.1694976. https://doi.org/10.1080/00291951.2019.1694976
Daries, N., Cristobal-Fransi, E., Ferrer-Rosell, B. & Marine-Roig, E. 2018, ‘Behavior of culinary tourists: A segmentation study of diners at top-level restaurants’, Intangible Capital, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 332-55, DOI:10.3926/ic.1090. https://doi.org/10.3926/ic.1090
Dwivedi, S.K., Tripathi, H., Kumar, V. & Vishwakarma, S. 2023, ‘A study on the impact of social media in promoting tourism’, International Journal of Development Research, vol. 13, no. 27066, pp. 62897-901, DOI:10.37118/ijdr.27066.06.2023. https://doi.org/10.37118/ijdr.27066.06.2023
Dzwierzynska, J. & Prokop, A. 2022, ‘Reconstruction of historic monuments - a dual approach’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 14, no. 21, pp. 1-14, DOI:10.3390/su142114651. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114651
Erlinda, S., Mulyadi, A., Zulkarnain & Suwondo. 2022, ‘Policy strategy for sustainable management of mangrove ecotourism in Siak Regency, Riau Province, Indonesia’, International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning , vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 173-83, DOI:10.18280/ijsdp.170117. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.170117
Fan, P., Zhu, Y., Ye, Z., Zhang, G., Gu, S., Shen, Q., Meshram, S. G., & Alvandi, E. 2023, ‘Identification and prioritization of tourism development strategies using SWOT, QSPM, and AHP: A case study of Changbai Mountain in China’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 1-22, DOI:10.3390/su15064962. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15064962
Fafurida, -, Daerobi, A. & Riyanto, G. 2022, ‘Implementation model of community-based tourism on rural tourism’, International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning , vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 507-12, DOI:10.18280/ijsdp.170215. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.170215.
Gato, M., Dias, Á., Pereira, L., da Costa, R.L. & Gonçalves, R. 2022, ‘Marketing communication and creative tourism: An analysis of the local destination management organization’, Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 1-23, DOI:10.3390/joitmc8010040. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8010040
Gemar, G., Soler, I.P. & Moniche, L. 2023, ‘Exploring the impacts of local development initiatives on tourism: A case study analysis’, Heliyon , vol. 9, no. 9, pp. 1-12, DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19924
Gori, E., Fissi, S. & Romolini, A. 2021, ‘A collaborative approach in tourism planning: The case of Tuscany region’, European Journal of Tourism Research, vol. 29, pp. 1-16, DOI:10.54055/ejtr.v29i.2426 https://doi.org/10.54055/ejtr.v29i.2426
Gunawijaya, J., Akbar, P. N. G. & Pratiwi, A. 2023, ‘Community participation in rural tourism development: The experience of Wanayasa, Purwakarta’, Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 84-96, viewed 12 May 2024, < 84-96, viewed 12 May 2024, https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/jitps/vol1/iss2/11
Henseler, M., Maisonnave, H. & Maskaeva, A. 2022, ‘Economic impacts of Covid-19 on the tourism sector in Tanzania’, Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights , vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 1-12, DOI:10.1016/j.annale.2022.100042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2022.100042
Heshmati, M., Gheitury, M. & Shadfar, S. 2022, ‘Factors affecting the possibility of ecotourism development and sustaining natural resources using SWOT approach in West Iran’, International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 173-83, DOI:10.1016/j.ijgeop.2022.03.004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2022.03.004
Huang, J.C., Wang, J., Nong, Q. & Xu, J.F. 2023, ‘Using a modified DANP-mV model to explore the improvement strategy for sustainable development of rural tourism’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 1-17, DOI:10.3390/su15032371. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032371
Hysa, B., Karasek, A. & Zdonek, I. 2021, ‘Social media usage by different generations as a tool for sustainable tourism marketing in society 5.0 idea’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 1-27, DOI:10.3390/su13031018. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031018
Keyim, P. 2018, ‘Tourism collaborative governance and rural community development in Finland: the case of Vuonislahti’, Journal of Travel Research, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 483-94, DOI:10.1177/0047287517701858. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287517701858
Kharisma, B., Wardhana, A., Arsani, A.M. & Pasaribu, H.I.W. 2022, ‘Planning and budgeting of tourism sector in West Nusa Tenggara’, Economics Development Analysis Journal, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 254-68, DOI:10.15294/edaj.v11i2.49198. https://doi.org/10.15294/edaj.v11i2.49198
Kismartini, K. & Pujiyono, B. 2020, ‘Collaborative management model Tanjung Lesung tourism in Pandeglang District, Banten Province, Indonesia’, Geojournal of Tourism and Geosites, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 868-74, DOI:10.30892/gtg.302spl12-516. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.302spl12-516
Kumar, S. P. 2014, ‘Monuments for the development of tourism’, International Journal of Management and Social Science Research Review, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 87-94, viewed 12 May 2024, < 87-94, viewed 12 May 2024, http://ijmsrr.com/downloads/31102014IJMSRR 13.pdf
Kumar, P. 2021, ‘Social media as a sustainable tool for tourism marketing communication’, Saudi Journal of Business and Management Studies, vol. 6, no. 11, pp. 412-14, DOI: 10.36348/sjbms.2021.v06i11.001. https://doi.org/10.36348/sjbms.2021.v06i11.001
Kummitha, H.R., Kareem, M.A. & Paramati, S.R. 2023, ‘The residents' participation in tourism-based social entrepreneurship organization: Evidence from residents' perception on ecosphere social enterprise’, Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, vol. 44, no. B, pp. 1-12, DOI:10.1016/j.jort.2023.100687. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2023.100687
Kyara, V.C., Rahman, M.M. & Khanam, R. 2022, ‘Investigating the environmental externalities of tourism development: evidence from Tanzania’, Heliyon , vol. 8, 09617, pp. 1-22, DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09617
Lesmana, H., Sugiarto, S., Yosevina, C. & Widjojo, H. 2022, ‘A competitive advantage model for Indonesia's sustainable tourism destinations from supply and demand side perspectives’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 14, no. 24, pp. 1-31, DOI:10.3390/su142416398. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416398
Liu, A., Kim, Y.R. & Song, H. 2022, ‘Toward an accurate assessment of tourism economic impact: A systematic literature review’, Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights , vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 1-10, DOI:10.1016/j.annale.2022.100054. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2022.100054
Macbeth, J., Carson, D. & Northcote, J. 2004, ‘Social capital, tourism, and regional development: SPCC as a basis for innovation and sustainability’, Current Issues in Tourism, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 502-22, DOI:10.1080/1368350050408668200. https://doi.org/10.1080/1368350050408668200
Maharani, N. & Nasution, R. D. 2020, ‘Melawan kepunahan becak dengan membentuk becak wisata di Ponorogo’, Jurnal Ilmiah-ilmu Sosial, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 48-57. DOI: 10.23887/jiis.v6i1.25181
» https://doi.org/10.23887/jiis.v6i1.25181
Manola, M. 2022, ‘Contribution of the Venetian Monuments of Rhodes to cultural tourism and the local development of the island’, Open Journal for Research in Economics, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 35-42, DOI:10.32591/coas.ojre.0502.02035m. https://doi.org/10.32591/coas.ojre.0502.02035m
Marin-Pantelescu, A., Tăchiciu, L., Oncioiu, I. & Ștefan-Hint, M. 2022, ‘Erasmus students' experiences as cultural visitors: Lessons in destination management’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 1-26, DOI:10.3390/su14052553. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052553
Murayama, T., Brown, G., Hallak, R. & Matsuoka, K. 2022, ‘Tourism destination competitiveness: Analysis and strategy of the Miyagi Zaō Mountains Area, Japan’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 14, no. 15, pp. 1-17, DOI:10.3390/su14159124. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159124
Nicoletti, S., Medina-Viruel, M.J., Di-Clemente, E. & Fruet-Cardozo, J.V. 2019, ‘Motivations of the culinary tourist in the city of Trapani, Italy’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 11, no. 9, pp. 1-11, DOI:10.3390/su11092686. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11092686
Nugroho, I., Hanafie, R., Negara, P.D., Sudiyono, - & Yuniar, H.R. 2021, ‘Social capital and social capacity in rural ecotourism development’, Indonesian Journal of Geography, vol. 53, no. 1, pp. 153-64, DOI:10.22146/IJG.55662. https://doi.org/10.22146/IJG.55662
Petrushenko, M., Shevchenko, H., Khumarova, N., & Krivenceva, A. 2022, ‘Financing of tourism and recreation in municipal programs during the pandemic period: The case of Odesa’, Public and Municipal Finance, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 63-78. DOI:10.21511/pmf.11(1).2022.06. https://doi.org/10.21511/pmf.11(1).2022.06
Pham, T. & Nugroho, A. 2022, ‘Tourism-induced poverty impacts of COVID-19 in Indonesia’, Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights , vol. 3, 100069, pp. 1-27, DOI:10.1016/j.annale.2022.100069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2022.100069.
Pineda, F., Padilla, J., Granobles-Torres, J.C., Echeverri-Rubio, A., Botero, C.M. & Suarez, A. 2023, ‘Community preferences for participating in ecotourism: A case study in a coastal lagoon in Colombia’, Environmental Challenges, vol. 11, 100713, pp. 1-10, DOI:10.1016/j.envc.2023.100713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2023.100713
Priyanto, A.W., Djohan, M.I. & Sayangbatti, D.P. 2022, ‘Strategi pengembangan sport event rafting berbasis komunitas di Kabupaten Lahat, Provinsi Sumatera Selatan’, Barista: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa dan Pariwisata, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 117-28, DOI:10.34013/barista.v9i02.1032. https://doi.org/10.34013/barista.v9i02.1032
Rachão, S., Breda, Z., Fernandes, C. & Joukes, V. 2019, 'Food tourism and regional development: A systematic literature review’,European Journal of Tourism Research , vol. 21, pp. 33-49, DOI: 10.54055/ejtr.v21i.357. https://doi.org/10.54055/ejtr.v21i.357
Rahmi, N.F., Ridwan, E. & Lenggogeni, S. 2021, ‘A review of the literature on the role of social capital in tourism growth’, Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Studies, vol. 4, no. 9, pp. 1619-27, DOI:10.47191/jefms/v4-i9-05. https://doi.org/10.47191/jefms/v4-i9-05
Reindrawati, D.Y. 2023, ‘Challenges of community participation in tourism planning in developing countries’, Cogent Social Sciences , vol. 9, 2164240, pp. 1-12, DOI:10.1080/23311886.2022.2164240. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2022.2164240
Rodriguez-Giron, S. & Vanneste, D. 2019, ‘Social capital at the tourist destination level: determining the dimensions to assess and improve collective action in tourism’, Tourist Studies, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 23-42, DOI:10.1177/1468797618790109. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468797618790109
Saarinen, J., Rogerson, C.M. & Hall, C.M. 2017, ‘Geographies of tourism development and planning’, Tourism Geographies, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 307-17, DOI:10.1080/14616688.2017.1307442 https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2017.1307442
Sahani, N. 2021, ‘Application of hybrid SWOT-AHP-FuzzyAHP model for formulation and prioritization of ecotourism strategies in Western Himalaya, India’, International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks , vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 349-62, DOI:10.1016/j.ijgeop.2021.08.001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2021.08.001
Saluja, V., Anand, S., Kumar, H. & Peng, J. 2022, ‘The perceived impact of tourism development and sustainable strategies for residents of Varkala, South India’, International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks , vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 184-95, DOI:10.1016/j.ijgeop.2022.03.003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2022.03.003
Sentanu, I., Haryono, B.S., Zamrudi, Z. & Praharjo, A. 2023, ‘Challenges and successes in collaborative tourism governance: a systematic literature review’, European Journal of Tourism Research , vol. 33, pp. 1-29, DOI:10.54055/ejtr.v33i.2669. https://doi.org/10.54055/ejtr.v33i.2669
Shen, P., Yin, P. & Niu, B. 2023, ‘Assessing the combined effects of transportation infrastructure on regional tourism development in China using a spatial econometric model (GWPR)’, Land, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 1-18, DOI:10.3390/land12010216. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010216
Soroka, A., Mazurek-Kusiak, A., Chmielewski, S. & Godlewska, A. 2023, ‘Polish-Lithuanian Border Cuisine as an idea for the promotion and expansion of the region's tourist attractiveness’, Foods, vol. 12, no. 13, pp. 1-15, DOI:10.3390/foods12132606 https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12132606
Stoica, G.D., Andreiana, V.A., Duica, M.C., Stefan, M.C., Susanu, I.O., Coman, M.D. & Iancu, D. 2022, ‘Perspectives for the development of sustainable cultural tourism’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 14, no. 9, pp. 1-17, DOI:10.3390/su14095678. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095678
Sukardi, A.A.R., E. Kusuma, H. & Riska, A.S. 2022, ‘Hubungan antara pendapatan dan pola kunjungan pada kawasan wisata kuliner di Indonesia’, Jurnal Lingkungan Binaan Indonesia, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 39-46, DOI:10.32315/jlbi.v11i01.71. https://doi.org/10.32315/jlbi.v11i01.71
Susila, I., Dean, D., Harismah, K., Priyono, K.D., Setyawan, A.A. & Maulana, H. 2024, ‘Does interconnectivity matter? An integration model of agro-tourism development’, Asia Pacific Management Review, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 104-14, DOI:10.1016/j.apmrv.2023.08.003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmrv.2023.08.003
Tahiri, A., Krasniqi, A., Kovaçi, I., Cucović, A., Sadrija, T. L. & Misini, D. 2024, ‘Cultural heritage: Its components, role, and importance in cultural tourism development - The specific case of Kosovo’, International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning , vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 2105-14, DOI: 10.18280/ijsdp.190610. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.190610
Wang, H. & Yan, J. 2022, ‘Effects of social media tourism information quality on destination travel intention: mediation effect of self-congruity and trust’, Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 13, pp. 1-14, DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1049149. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1049149
Yanti, D., Liyushiana, -, Dalimunthe, F.I., Prayogi, B. & Tun Ismail, W.N.A. 2023, ‘The effectiveness of digital media management by local governments in tourism marketing’, Planning Malaysia, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 1-16, DOI:10.21837/pm.v21i30.1382. https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v21i30.1382
Yuedi, H., Sanagustín-Fons, V., Galiano Coronil, A. & Moseñe-Fierro, J.A. 2023, ‘Analysis of tourism sustainability synthetic indicators. A case study of Aragon’, Heliyon , vol. 9, 15206, pp. 1-26, DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15206
Zeraib, S., Kouba, Y. & Berghout, B. 2022, ‘The influence of tourism development strategies on the attractiveness of mountainous destinations: a case study of the Aures Mountains in Algeria’, Sustainability (Switzerland) , vol. 14, no. 20, pp. 1-13, DOI:10.3390/su142013045. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013045
Zhou, Q., Sotiriadis, M. & Shen, S. 2023, ‘Using TikTok in tourism destination choice: A young Chinese tourists' perspective’, Tourism Management Perspectives, vol. 46, 101101, pp. 1-14, DOI:10.1016/j.tmp.2023.101101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2023.101101
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This journal is licensed under a Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
