Detik.com reports that incoming Indonesian Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has identified four critical programs she will pursue during her initial six months as the “Red-White” Cabinet member in charge of tourism.
Minister Widiyanti revealed her key programs while participating in the formal handover from Outgoing Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno on Monday, 21 October 2024.
Widiyanti said that the four priority programs included hearing the aspirations of stakeholders under the transformation of national tourism; Tourism 5.0 – such as marketing a digital calendar of events; and Artificial Intelligence (AI) travel assistance.
This will be followed by a grand strategy of using the Indonesia Quality Tourism Fund to diversify activities and international events and forging cooperation with world-class institutions to transfer knowledge to create a world-class tourism school of excellence.
The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) has called on the new Tourism Minister to create regulations supporting “cultural tourism” in Bali. The new Tourism Minister, who brings 30 years of experience as a businesswoman and investor, has underlined her commitment to champion the future development of Indonesian tourism.
Indonesia is ranked #22 among 119 countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024.
“I am committed to preserving the existing momentum in the tourism sector. In the future, there will be challenges in our efforts to strengthen the great potential of Indonesian tourism,” said the Minister.
Yields Reins of Tourism Ministry to Widiyanti Putri Wardhana
Formerly joined under a single ministry, Widiyanti said the new ministerial assignment that separates tourism from the creative economy will still provide opportunities for close, continuous collaboration between the two ministries. Widiyanti also invited the new Ministry of Creative Economy to continue synergizing and collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism.
Widiyanti said: “To the Minister of Creative Economy – Teuku Riefky Harsya, let’s work together to advance the tourism and creative economy sectors because these two sectors have a common goal of raising the potential of Indonesia’s natural beauty, rich arts and culture, and the creative industries that we need to achieve to meet the government’s target for the next five years.”
Widiyanti is also the chairperson of the Teladan Utama Foundation. She is optimistic that by taking foundationally solid and strategic steps, she will be able to accelerate the growth of the tourism sector and make it a driving contributor to an inclusive, sustainable, and global economy.
The Minister added: “We will achieve this because Indonesia is a ‘Paradise on Earth.’ I hope my presence in the Tourism Ministry can be received openly. Together, we can transparently and with integrity transform the conventional tourism sector.”
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