Tourism Minister: Digitalization Important for Creative Entrepreneurs in Tourist Villages

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy on a working visit to Batu Layang village, Puncak, Bogor regency, West Java, Wednesday (10/03/2021). (Photo: PR of Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy)

Digitalization plays an important role for creative entrepreneurs in tourist villages, according to Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno.

The Minister made the statement during his working visit to Batu Layang village in Puncak, Bogor regency, West Java province, Wednesday (10/03).

“MSME entrepreneurs in the village must have digital literacy and Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will take initiatives so that more MSMEs can join digital ecosystem or e-commerce,” he said.

According to Sandiaga, Batu Layang village has a quite good internet connection; thus, there needs to be an introduction of and guidance on e-commerce for creative entrepreneurs in the village that recently received a certificate of “Sustainable Tourist Village” from Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy on 1 March 2021.

“We will go all out to guide them because I am confident that besides (giving) training, we must also guide and onboard them. After that, we have to ensure that they have access to the market, access to investment, and access to scale up,” the Minister said, adding that his Ministry has also been taking measures to synergize with the economic recovery program launched by the Government of West Java province, namely Borongdong.id.

“We will synergize it with marketplace and MSME guidance, so we will invite large marketplaces, including those who have been guided by the Government of West Java province,” he remarked.

Sandiaga went on to say that the development of tourist villages creates direct economic impacts on the local community, while also reminding the people of Batu Layang village to always observe strict health protocols amid the pandemic.

“Let us revive our tourism and creative economy. We will start by digitalization of onboarding in Batu Layang Village in Cisarua. However, everything must be carried out by observing health protocols,” he said. (PR of Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/UN) (DH/EP)