SEABEF And WITF 2025 Called Job Creation And Strengthening MSMEs

JAKARTA - Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri said that the holding of the Southeast Asia Business Events Forum (SEABEF) and badminton Indonesia Tourism Fair (WITF) 2025 could be a catalyst to create jobs and strengthen MSME growth.

"As we continue to expand our perspective, it is important to remember that events are more than just events, but as a catalyst that has an impact on job creation, encourages the growth of MSMEs, as well as Indonesia's cultural and creative storefronts to the world," Widiyanti said as confirmed in Jakarta, Sunday.

In his remarks at NICE PIK 2, Banten, Friday (10/10), Widiyanti said that the two events will also strengthen Indonesia's tourism ecosystem, especially in the sector of Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) as well as the promotion and marketing of Indonesian destinations.

"These two events are an important milestone in accelerating the growth of the Indonesian tourism sector," said MenparWidyanti at the opening of the event at Nusantara International Convention and Exhibition (NICE), PIK 2, Banten, Friday (10/10).

The Ministry of Tourism in this activity provides support in the form of providing a number of exhibition booths and the Familination Trip (Famtrip) which presents 45 travel agents and operator tours from Europe, the Middle East, and America to participate in the WITF event.

Followed by exploring Indonesia's leading destinations with the peak of business matching activities in Bali and presenting the God willing booth Indonesia which shows off "Worldful Indonesia Wellness 2025" to promote the potential for fitness tourism in Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said it is necessary to develop the right strategy based on collaboration so that the MICE sector continues to grow and be sustainable.

Airlangga highlighted that currently there are still challenges such as standardization of innovation and various issues including access to finance, intellectual property, digitization and labor quality.

"In the end, with a clear vision, strategic planning, and strong collaboration, I believe we can develop significant turning points to encourage the tourism sector," he said.

SEABEF is a regional international forum that discusses the potential and various challenges of the event or MICE business in Southeast Asia and Indonesia in particular.

Lasting until October 11, 2025, the SEABEF will bring together practitioners, innovators and leaders in the MICE sector from all over Southeast Asia to exchange ideas and innovations related to the MICE industry.

Meanwhile, the 2025 Tokyo Indonesia Tourism Fair (WITF) is one of the largest tourism exhibitions in Indonesia organized by the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI). Taking place in the same location, the 2025 WITF has started on October 9 and will last until October 12, 2025.

WITF 2025 presents 300 exhibitions and 200 buyers from 40 countries. In addition to the main exhibition, WITF also displays consumer shows for the public.

Indonesia targets 14 to 16 million foreign tourists by 2025, and January to August the number of foreign tourists has reached 10.04 million.