Developing Sustainable Cultural Tourism Attractions Based on Tourist Preferences: Evidence from Silalahi II Tourism Village, North Sumatra

Abstract

Silalahi II Tourism Village in Dairi Regency, North Sumatra, is a developing rural destination with significant cultural tourism potential. However, visitation to its cultural attractions remains relatively low. This study analyzed tourists' preferences for cultural tourism attractions and developed preference-based strategies to support sustainable cultural tourism. The study used a quantitative approach, distributing a questionnaire to 123 domestic tourists and analyzing the data through conjoint analysis to estimate part-worth utilities and the relative importance of attraction attributes. The study evaluated two context-specific attributes, namely something to do and something to see. The results show the strongest preference for photography activities and the traditional weaving stone at the Sopo Deang Namora Cultural Site. Something to do is the most influential attribute (54.530%), compared with something to see (45.470%). Pearson’s r (0.915) and Kendall’s Tau (0.708) indicate strong, significant agreement between observed and estimated preferences, supporting the conjoint model's predictive reliability. The study’s novelty lies in linking attribute-level tourist preferences with sustainable cultural tourism development in a rural tourism-village context, showing how experiential preferences can guide the transformation of heritage resources into visitor-centered products while supporting cultural preservation and community participation. Accordingly, development should prioritize photography-based experiences, cultural storytelling, participatory activities, accessibility, digital promotion, and community involvement.