Sandiaga Confident Tourism Villages Will Revive Indonesia

Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno/DOK Instagram passworduno

JAKARTA - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno believes that tourist villages will revive Indonesia in the future because it is estimated that they can have a big impact on rural communities and create the widest possible employment opportunities.

"In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges, the administrators of tourist villages have the spirit that Indonesia will rise. From the westernmost to the easternmost regions, they (tourist village administrators) show a high sense of optimism," said Sandiaga at the peak event of the 2021 Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI) quoted by Antara, Wednesday, December 8.

The 2021 Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI) was attended by 1.831 villages from 75 thousand villages in Indonesia.

"So when we started the target, it was 700 and we lowered it to 300 so we don't disappoint. Thank God, after we fought, we exceeded expectations, not 300 but 1.831 tourist villages registered," he said.

During his 50th visit to tourist villages, Sandi claimed to have had a memorable experience. Starting from diving in Sawandarek, West Papua, swimming on Untung Jawa Island, Thousand Islands, Jakarta, to climbing at Wae Rebo, East Nusa Tenggara.

Therefore, Sandiaga asked for support from all parties to continue the ADWI program in the future so that it could be improved, including asking for support from the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto to revive the economy through tourist villages.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto said that this tourist village is important because in the future during the pandemic, domestic tourists will be encouraged considering that foreign tourists are still limited to entering Indonesia with a 10-day quarantine.

"I encourage this village to be able to synergize with 10 priority destinations including the super priority ones so that tourism development can run," said Airlangga.

The ADWI 2021 event provides awards for seven categories of assessment for tourist villages, including CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environment Sustainability), Digital Villages, Souvenirs (Culinary, Fashion, Crafts), Tourist Attractions (Natural, Cultural, Artificial), Creative Content, Homestay, and Toilets.

For the winning tourist village, a trophy and prize money of IDR 30 million for the 1st place winner in each category, IDR 25 million for the second winner, IDR 20 million for the third winner, IDR 15 million for the fourth winner, and IDR 10 million for the fifth-place winner, will be awarded.