Potensi dan Profil Wisatawan Museum Huta Bolon sebagai Destinasi Wisata di Kabupaten Samosir

Abstract

Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo is one of the cultural tourism destinations in Samosir Regency, offering both educational and recreational experiences around Lake Toba. This study aimed to identify the museum’s potential as well as the profiles of its visitors. A field study was conducted from guest-book records for 2024 and interviews with the museum’s management, a tour guide, and a local community member. The data were analyzed to understand visitor demographics and behaviors.The results show that Museum Huta Bolon boasts significant potential thanks to its authentic collections—ulos textiles, gondang musical instruments, relics of King Sidauruk, the original Bolon Traditional House, and the Ruma Kaca Heritage House—which together deliver a unique educational and aesthetic experience. Facilities such as a coffee shop, souvenir store, and mini library are ample, and accessibility is strong via both land and sea routes. Visitor profiles are dominated by international tourists (60 %) aged 30–65 years, who spend 90–120 minutes per visit, while domestic tourists (40 %) are aged 20–40 years and spend 30–60 minutes; gender distribution is balanced (55 % male, 45 % female), with locals primarily motivated by recreation and foreigners by education. In conclusion, Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo has great potential to grow further and attract more visitors through targeted management and promotional strategies that align with visitor characteristics and needs.