Menpar Highlights Chinese New Year Celebration In Kota Tua Jakarta As A Commitment To Revitalize Jakarta Tourism Destinations

JAKARTA - In order to enliven the 2025 Chinese New Year which was commemorated on January 29, 2025, an event titled Wisdom in the Old Town: A Lunar Celebration in the House of Monuments, Kota Tua, Jakarta.

The presence of this performance is a form of appreciation for the diversity of Indonesian culture that is established harmoniously and promotes the Kota Tua area, Jakarta, as one of the leading destinations rich in world-class cultural heritage.

Minister of Tourism (Menpar) Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, while attending the event, recently said the performance titled Wisdom in the Old Town: A Lunar Celebration emphasized the commitment of the Ministry of Tourism (Kemenpar) and the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta to revitalize Kota Tua as historical locations as well as dynamic arts and cultural centers.

One of the historical buildings in Kota Tua that is still being maintained today is the House of Monument which is the location for the 'Wisdom in the Old Town: A Lunar Celebration' performance.

This building used to belong to a Tioghoa merchant, Oei Tiong Ham, in which there were historical relics that showed the diversity of Jakartan culture, which at that time was called Batavia.

This building has also been a sugar warehouse and office for the Chinese organization. Now the House of Tugu has become a tourist attraction in itself and contributes to encouraging tourists' interest in visiting the Kota Tua area, Jakarta.

This history is proof that Indonesia is a country rich in cultural diversity, including the influence of Chinese culture which has become an integral part of history and society since the Dutch East Indies era.

"Preserving Chinese cultural heritage is not only a matter of maintaining historical value, but also acknowledging its important role in shaping Indonesian cultural identity and our tourism sector," said Menpar Widiyanti.

Thanks to the collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, the event that combines the Chinese New Year tradition with modern elements from the fashion world set by Kota Tua displays fashion demonstrations in the collection of designers Adrian Gan, Sebastian Gunawan, and the jewelry and accessories exhibition by Rinaldy Yunardi, which is inspired by Chinese culture and the beauty of the Nusantara heritage.

"By making this event a collaboration platform, we believe that strategic partnerships will have a sustainable positive impact on the Indonesian tourism, arts and culture industry," said Menpar Widiyanti.

Menpar Widiyanti expressed her hope that this collaboration could be a driving force for the development of Kota Tua as one of the Jakarta City tourist destinations, so that it would have a positive impact on the tourism sector and the economy as a whole.

"As one of the main gates for foreign tourists, Jakarta has an important role in giving the first impression about Indonesia. Therefore, the development of Kota Tua will provide great benefits for the tourism sector, as well as for tourists who want to get to know the capital city of Indonesia before continuing their journey to other regions in Indonesia," said Menpar.

Currently, the MRT Jakarta Phase 2A construction project is underway which connects the HI Roundabout to City Stations. This makes the prospect of developing the Kota Tua area increasing. This project is also divided into two segments, namely the HI-Harmoni Roundabout which is targeted for completion in 2027 and the Harmoni-Kota which is targeted for completion in 2029.

The year 2027 is also a moment of celebration of 500 years old in Jakarta. Entering the 5th century of the city's age, Jakarta shows such rapid development, and is still the center of economy as well as the attractiveness of Indonesian tourism, especially for urban communities.

The Kota Tua area itself has a row of buildings inherited from the magnificent European colonial architecture, combined with local culture, making Kota Tua one of the most historic and prestigious areas in Jakarta. Among them are the Fatahillah Museum, Bank Indonesia Museum, Bank Mandiri Museum, Intan City Bridge, Sunda Kelapa Port, Syahbandar Tower, and so on.

Of course, destinations with diversity of traditions, culture, and history such as Kota Tua can enrich the experience of tourists when traveling in Jakarta, Indonesia.