Menparekraf Officialized Sukorejo Religious Tourism Areas And Encouraged International Conferences In Situbondo

Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno inaugurated the construction of the Sukorejo Religious Tourism Area, Situbondo, East Java. (Photo: Doc. Kemenparekraf)

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno inaugurated the construction of the Sukorejo Religious Tourism Area which is expected to be a venue for international conferences on religious tourism in Situbondo, East Java, recently.

Sandiaga said that the construction of the Sukorejo religious tourism area was the result of collaboration between the central government, local governments, and the management of the Salafiyah Syafiiyah Islamic boarding school using the 2022 Special Allocation Fund (DAK).

"I would like to thank the Regent of Situbondo and Pak Kyai for doing this quickly. Thank God, we inaugurated it today," he said in a press release, as quoted on Monday, January 16.

In addition, Sandiaga also saw the potential for Religi Tourism in Situbondo which was extraordinary.

Therefore, various preparations in terms of destinations, creative economy products, and events continue to mature.

"I see opportunities to combine religious tourism in Indonesia with religious tourism, which so far Indonesian people have visited more abroad," said Sandiaga.

To trigger further development, Sandiaga said, his party has initiated an event, namely a international conference of religious tourism in Situbondo which will invite at least seven countries, including Turkey, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Morocco, and a number of European countries.

"We want the event to be prepared immediately. Apart from being the host here, the number of students reaches 17,000, we can increase them to be able to accept tourists, both domestically and abroad who want to travel religiously here," he explained.

Sandiaga said that his party would also make a travel map, which would later be one of the stops in Sukorejo or a horseshoe religious tourist spot that became a branding for religious tourism areas in the area.

"We also want the completeness in the huts to continue to increase, so as to attract economic movement, create business opportunities, and employment opportunities," he concluded.