JAKARTA - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Uno strengthens collaboration with communities to grow the tourism sector and the creative economy (parekraf) in Palembang, South Sumatra.
Sandiaga said the growth of the tourism sector throughout 2023 could not be separated from the various supports and contributions of various communities.
"That's why I give my appreciation to the community, including the 34 communities who attended the Palembang Poltekpar this time. We welcome next year with optimism, continuing the current trend and momentum to bring stronger economic recovery," Sandiaga said during the "Nemuin Community (Netas)" event at the Indonesian Tourism Polytechnic (Poltekpar) Palembang quoted by Antara.
Sandiaga explained that a number of achievements of the tourism industry throughout 2023, namely the value of tourism foreign exchange until September 2023 were recorded at 10.46 billion US dollars, the contribution of tourism GDP which is estimated to reach 4 percent, and the added value of the creative economy (ekraf) of Rp. 1,050 trillion.
In addition, the export value of the economy is 17.38 billion US dollars, and the number of domestic tourist movements (wisnus) is 688.78 million trips until October 2023.
Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga explained, is an industry that has cheaper and greater opportunities in job creation. If in the field of extractive economy, each US dollar only has the potential to open one job, in the tourism sector and the creative economy one job has the potential to open six times the job.
Sandiaga then encouraged the active role of all parties, including communities in South Sumatra, to continue to strengthen tourism and the creative economy.
"Including this activity where we discuss each other. Of course this is part of our joint efforts to encourage the tourism sector and the creative economy to get better in the future," said Sandiaga.
"Nemuin Komunitas (Netas)" is one of the flagship programs of the Communication Bureau of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy which aims to strengthen community roles in tourism development and the creative economy which is an important pillar in sustainable economic development efforts.
Head of the Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, I Gusti Ayu Dewi Hendriyani, said that throughout 2023 the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has organized "Netas" in eight different locations in various regions of the country with a total of more than 1,000 community members present.
"Through the theme 'Community Roles in Maintaining Tourism and Creative Economy in 2024', we want to emphasize more about how important community involvement is in the development of the tourism sector and the creative economy," said Dewi.
Dewi said the 'Netas' was also held to ensure that the voices of the (grassroot) community were clearly heard and contributed to the development of Kemenparekaf policies and programs.
"Dialogues in this activity will be our reference in future collaboration programs," said Dewi.
Meanwhile, the Head of the South Sumatra Province Culture and Tourism Office, Aufa Syahrizal, appreciated the program from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy which actively involved communities in the development of the tourism sector and the creative economy in South Sumatra.
The community, said Aufa, has become an important part and has always been involved in parekraf development programs in South Sumatra.
"We have a famtrip program and go down to tourist villages, and they (community) always support our program. At the same time, they can also see firsthand how the potential of tourism and the creative economy is in South Sumatra," said Aufa.
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