DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/jil.24.3.%25p

Sustainable Religious Tourism Development In Tana Toraja: Hierarchical Structural Model Approach

1Teknik Lingkungan , Indonesia

2Universitas Sahid Jakarta, Indonesia

3Management Study Program, Graduate School, Sahid University Jakarta, Indonesia

Received: 8 Jul 2025; Revised: 20 Jul 2026; Accepted: 30 Jul 2026; Available online: 31 Jul 2026; Published: 6 Aug 2026.
Editor(s): Budi Warsito

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Abstract
Religious tourism in Tana Toraja, Indonesia, possesses significant cultural, spiritual, environmental, and economic potential. However, its development remains constrained by fragmented governance, inadequate infrastructure, weak stakeholder coordination, and the absence of a systematic framework for prioritizing development factors. Previous studies have primarily examined destination management, tourism promotion, and socio-economic impacts independently, without explaining the structural interdependencies among key development factors. Therefore, this study aims to develop a hierarchical structural model for sustainable religious tourism development centered on the Jesus Christ Statue in Tana Toraja. Data were collected through surveys, semi-structured interviews, and expert consultations involving five experts representing government, the private sector, academia, indigenous communities, and non-governmental organizations. Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) integrated with the VAXO contextual relationship technique was employed to analyze the hierarchical relationships among 17 tourism development sub elements. The results identify government institutions, transportation facilities, tourism support facilities, road networks, and tourism information as the primary driving factors requiring short-term priority. Natural and cultural resources, tourist accommodations, and private institutions constitute medium-term priorities, while community participation, environmental conservation, supporting attractions, public awareness, and NGO involvement represent long-term priorities. The proposed hierarchical model extends the application of ISM to religious tourism and provides an evidence-based decision-support framework for local governments and stakeholders to prioritize policies, strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration, and promote environmentally sustainable religious tourism development.

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Keywords: Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM); VAXO technique; religious tourism; sustainable tourism development; hierarchical structural model; Tana Toraja

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Section: Research Article
Language : EN
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