PRESS RELEASE
MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND CREATIVE ECONOMY/TOURISM AND CREATIVE ECONOMY AGENCY
Reviving the economy and creating employment opportunities
ID HOTELIER - Yogyakarta, February 3rd 2023 - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of
Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, invites the ASEAN
member countries to strengthen collaboration to manifest the ASEAN region as the center
of global economic growth through tourism.
During the opening of the 2023 ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) at the Prambanan Temple courtyard, Yogyakarta, Thursday (3/2/2023) evening, he said that ATF, as the largest tourism forum in the Southeast Asia area, must become a discussion forum to reformulate the tourism sector to be more adaptive with the current and future situation.
ASEAN countries must be able to build tourism destinations based on three basic foundations, namely resilience, safety, and sustainability.
“It is in line with the theme of this year’s ATF, namely A Journey to Wonderful Destinations that sparks the spirit of tourism recovery,” according to Minister Sandiaga.
He added that there were three initiatives to achieve these goals. The first is Gercep (gerak cepat - move quickly), the government and all relevant stakeholders must be able to provide applicable assistance programs to drive the revival of the tourism and creative economy sectors in all areas, especially now during the post-pandemic period.
“For example, competency certification and capacity building can be the main program. We have done this in developing five super-priority destinations and ten priority destinations,” he added.
The next is Geber (Gerak Bersama - move together). Minister Sandiaga believes that collaborative actions between stakeholders are crucial in the tourism recovery process.
“One of the examples is through planning and organizing quality national and international- scale events. It needs the involvement of many sectors, including the government, private sectors, and other parties,” he continued.
The last is Gaspol (work on all potential to create jobs). To achieve this, Minister Sandiaga said, his party presented the diversification of the tourism products through the development of ecotourism, moslem-friendly tourism, health tourism, and domestic tour packages.
“We are optimistic that this diversification will not only create employment opportunities but also increase our tourism added value aspects and provide more choices for tourists visiting our regions,” Sandiaga said.
He invited the ASEAN countries to continue regional cooperation and explore better collaboration in the future. “That is in recovering and re-developing tourism, utilizing digital transformation, and ensuring sustainability issues,” he explained.
The Vice President KH. Ma’ruf Amin, earlier when opening the 2023 ATF, said that tourism was one of the crucial sectors to recover the economy, create employment opportunities for the people, and create a resilient and empowered community. He hoped that this forum could be a means to produce concrete actions in advancing the tourism sector.
“I hope that the 2023 ASEAN Tourism Forum can generate concrete actions. Marked by the cooperation between leaders in the tourism sector in the ASEAN region to accelerate the revival of the travel and tourism industry in ASEAN and realize the 2023 Travel Exchange,” the Vice President said.
He also requested to intensify the organizing of international-scale events in ASEAN countries because the success in organizing these events is one of the proofs of the readiness of ASEAN countries to become the magnet for international tourists and shows that ASEAN is capable of adapting and competing towards a more quality tourism in the future.
“We pin our hope that the tourism sector will strengthen the ASEAN region as a stable, peaceful, dignified region, as well as upholds human values and can support world economic stability,” he added.
The 2023 ATF will take place until February 5, 2023, and has many series of activities. Ranging from meetings between state delegations at the Ministerial and NTO (National Tourism Organization) levels and the Travel Exchange (TRAVEX), a business forum for tourism business actors between ASEAN countries.
There will be additional activities such as Minister’s Breakfast Meeting handled by US-ABC, Minister Business Luncheon by CNN, Lao Night as an event for the next leadership delegation to Laos, a post-meeting tour for VIP delegates, ASEAN Awarding Ceremony, and Global Modest Fashion Week.
Participants in the delegation meeting at the ATF are not only from the ASEAN countries but also from partner countries such as ASEAN Plus Three (Japan, Korea, China), India, Russia, and several international organizations such as UNWTO, PATA, WTTC, ASEANTA, and US-ABC.
Also attending the opening of the 2023 ATF were the Vice Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Deputy Head of Tourism and Creative Economy, Angela Tanoesoedibjo; Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN, Satvinder Singh; the Vice Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region, KGPAA Paku Alam X; and echelon I and II officials within the MOTCE.
I Gusti Ayu Dewi Hendriyani
Head of Communication Bureau
Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Tourism and Creative Economy Agency