Cultural heritage buildings for urban tourism destinations: portraits of Siantar, Indonesia, in the past

Background: This study was motivated by the failure to use historic
buildings, plantations heritage, and modernization of Siantar. The
problem is focused on the optimization of historic buildings, icons for
urban tourism destinations. The study contribution is useful for the
protection, utilization, and development of cultural heritage buildings
into a tourist destination in urban areas. More specifically, the study
aims to explore and discuss the optimization of urban tourism to
support economic and territorial growth.
Methods: The study was carried out qualitatively with a pragmatic
methodological approach according to the tourism paradigm. The
study departs from the colonial archives: photographs, maps, notes,
and field research focused on the identification, significance, and
contribution to urban history. The data were transcribed verbatim and
analyzed thematically. Raw information was reduced and coded
according to the relevance of the study. Data are combined into
categories and themes reflecting descriptive analysis, classification,
and interpretation. Data validation was done through triangulation
strategies, member checking, rich descriptions, and saturation.
Results:The Historic Tours of Siantar and Its Surroundings, the
findings of this study were carried out in three stages; development
based on national consensus in law, utilization into public space,
appreciation for managers, and management incentives, and
determining urban tourism designs.
Conclusions: Utilization of cultural heritage buildings for urban
tourism destinations reflects the urban with plantation characteristics,
portraits of cities in the past, packed into urban tourism experiences