Deputy Minister Of Home Affairs Bima Arya Emphasizes The Importance Of Differentiation In Creative Economy Development

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri) Bima Arya Sugiarto. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri) Bima Arya Sugiarto emphasized the importance of differentiation in creative economy development as a lever for the progress of the national tourism sector.

Bima said that many hidden tourist destinations in Indonesia can be developed optimally if regional heads have enthusiasm and commitment in managing their regional potential.

He also highlighted the importance of a unique city branding and distinguishing one region from another.

According to him, with a total of 514 regencies/cities in Indonesia, there should be 514 potentials, 514 identities, and 514 regional characters.

"Regional images should not stagnate just because they continue to use the same tagline or imitate other areas," Bima said as quoted by ANTARA, Sunday, October 12.

This was conveyed when he gave a key speech at The Top Tourism Leaders Forum at Hall 9, Nusantara International Convention Exhibition (NICE) at Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) 2, Tangerang, Banten, Sunday.

"Ladies who really understand branding, please teach, please exchange ideas, please discuss with the apparatus, the head of the tourism service, and also the regional head about city branding because this has to do with very strong tourism. City branding is an image," he said.

Bima also shared his experience when building a city branding in Bogor City. In 2018, when he was still the Mayor of Bogor, he visited the Mulyaharja area which has a stretch of green rice fields set in Mount Salak.

He dreamed of making the area a new tourist destination.

The challenge arises because the land belongs to residents and companies.

However, he continued, thanks to seriousness and collaboration, changes also occurred.

"We are working hard to involve residents, educating women. Then educating tour guides, educating communities to be creative there. This is one of the poorest villages or sub-districts in Bogor City, and now from this point on, young people, mothers, mothers, mothers, this can live because every weekend it is crowded. They create their own system, "said Bima.

This experience, said Bima, gave him an important lesson that building a tourism ecosystem is not an easy thing, but it takes hard work from various parties to overcome cultural, structural, and infrastructure barriers.

He also gave an example of the development of sports tourism in Bogor through the construction of a 4.3 kilometer jogging track around the Bogor Palace and Botanical Gardens.

The route is now being widely used by residents and has an impact on improving the economy of business actors in the vicinity.

"So, today's sport tourism, actually if we do it right, this can build an extraordinary ecosystem. Because this sport tourism talks about health, talks about welfare, talks about collaboration with Forkopimda, talks about its effects for MSMEs and others," he said.

In addition, Bima also highlighted the potential of creative events such as music concerts as a source of regional economic growth, with a record of licensing, security, and infrastructure aspects that must be strengthened.

He hopes that Indonesia can become the main destination for various large-scale art performances.

According to him, building a tourism ecosystem is a common homework for local governments (Pemda).

The reason is, not all regional heads have the awareness that tourism and creative industries are strategic loopholes in local economic development.

"So the task of tourism people is actually very difficult. You have to work hard to build a network and make the perspective fun," he said.