Achieving World Heritage Status: A Case Study of Tana Toraja, Indonesia : A Comparative Analysis of Expectations Held by National and Local Governments, and Community

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore, compare and contrast the expectations around World Heritage status held by UNESCO, by national, regional and local governments, and local communities, with a particular focus on the tourism sector. It seeks to identify shared expectations, highlight divergences and identify contradicting expectations, and to understand the drivers of these. It focuses on a specific location -Tana Toraja- and the Torajan ethnic group in Sulawesi Island in Indonesia, to demonstrate whether UNESCO shares the same view of World Heritage concepts and desired outcomes as local Indonesian national/provincial governments and local residents.