Abstract
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi potensi Pasar Seni To'Pao yang dapat dijadikan sebagai daya tarik promosi, menganalisis hambatan yang dihadapi dalam pelaksanaan promosi, serta merumuskan strategi promosi yang tepat untuk mendorong peningkatan jumlah konsumen di Pasar Seni To'Pao Kabupaten Toraja Utara. Pasar seni berbasis budaya memiliki peran strategis dalam mendukung pengembangan pariwisata dan ekonomi kreatif daerah, namun banyak di antaranya menghadapi tantangan dalam menarik konsumen akibat promosi yang belum optimal. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan jenis penelitian deskriptif. Informan penelitian terdiri atas empat pelaku UMKM dan empat pengunjung Pasar Seni To'Pao yang dipilih secara purposive. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi, wawancara mendalam, dan dokumentasi, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan model Miles, Huberman, dan Saldaña yang meliputi pengumpulan data, kondensasi data, penyajian data, serta penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Pasar Seni To'Pao memiliki potensi besar untuk dikembangkan melalui strategi promosi, antara lain keunikan produk kerajinan khas Toraja, lokasi yang strategis di jalur utama Rantepao-Makale, identitas budaya yang kuat, serta keberadaan pelaku UMKM yang menghasilkan produk berkualitas. Namun, kegiatan promosi masih menghadapi berbagai hambatan, yaitu belum optimalnya pemanfaatan media digital, terbatasnya penyebaran informasi kepada masyarakat, berkurangnya jumlah kios yang aktif beroperasi, tingginya persaingan dengan pusat oleh-oleh lainnya, serta jumlah kunjungan yang belum stabil. Berdasarkan kondisi tersebut, strategi promosi yang direkomendasikan meliputi optimalisasi promosi digital melalui media sosial, penguatan promosi berbasis budaya Toraja, peningkatan kerja sama dengan pemerintah dan pelaku industri pariwisata, penyelenggaraan kegiatan promosi secara berkala, serta peningkatan kualitas pelayanan dan kenyamanan kawasan. Penerapan strategi tersebut diharapkan mampu meningkatkan jumlah konsumen sekaligus memperkuat posisi Pasar Seni To'Pao sebagai destinasi wisata belanja berbasis budaya di Kabupaten Toraja Utara. This study aims to identify the potential of To'Pao Art Market that can be utilized as a promotional attraction, analyze the obstacles encountered in implementing promotional activities, and formulate appropriate promotion strategies to increase the number of consumers at To'Pao Art Market in North Toraja Regency. Culture-based art markets have a strategic role in supporting the development of regional tourism and the creative economy, yet many face challenges in attracting consumers due to suboptimal promotion. This study employed a qualitative approach with a descriptive research design. The research informants consisted of four MSME actors and four visitors to To'Pao Art Market, who were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, and were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, which includes data collection, data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that To'Pao Art Market possesses considerable potential to support promotional activities, including the uniqueness of Torajan handicraft products, its strategic location on the main Rantepao-Makale route, a strong cultural identity, and the presence of local MSMEs producing high-quality products. However, promotional activities are constrained by several factors, including the limited utilization of digital media, inadequate dissemination of information to the public, the decreasing number of active kiosks, intense competition with other souvenir centers, and unstable visitor numbers. Based on these findings, the recommended promotion strategies include optimizing digital promotion through social media, strengthening culture-based promotional content highlighting Torajan heritage, enhancing collaboration with the government and tourism stakeholders, organizing promotional and cultural events on a regular basis, and improving service quality and visitor convenience. The implementation of these strategies is expected to increase the number of consumers while strengthening the position of To'Pao Art Market as a cultural shopping destination in North Toraja Regency.
