2008-05-20

Lovely December in Toraja

This year, may be Lovely December in Toraja.

Toraja is known as high-land area and has a lot of beautiful panorama views/sceneries arround mountains. Usual high season for tourism is August and many foreign tourists (especially the French and other Europeans) to go arround unique tombs and funeral ceremonies using many buffalows as sacrifice animals. However, except August, Toraja is very quiet. It is very easy for you to look for any hotels or inns after arriving at Toraja. It means that tourism in Toraja faces decreasing of visitors.

Every year, Toraja had conducted the Toraja Festival in September but failed to get big attention from international market because that was event-origin and no sustainable strategies to next step. Toraja needs new concept and strategy to be more famous at international tourism market, not enough just waiting for coming tourists.

I had seen Toraja since 1987. During these 20 years, the behaviour of Toraja people had changed drastically. Many people do not hesitate any more to ask money to visitors. Most of them or their parent generation had kept their sincere attitude and hospitality to visitors and I feel very much like Toraja because of them not scenery or facilities. School children called me "Hello, welcome to Toraja" 20 years ago.

South Sulawesi Provincial Government is now considering to conduct new program named "Lovely December in Toraja". Toraja, majority of the people are christian, celebrates Christmas and New Year in good atmosphere. With this new program, Toraja people should revive their original hospitality and sincereness to visitors to give good memory of Toraja to them. I sincerely hope it.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Jadi rindu ingin pulang ke Toraja, mengunjungi pusara ayah dan ibuku.
Sungai yang mengaliri Toraja bikin aku ingin mancing