Tourism Minister: Tourism, Creative Economy Sectors Increase Sharply Post PPKM Revocation

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, and Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir talk before the Limited Meeting on Increasing Economic and Tourism Activities After Revocation of Public Activity Restrictions, Monday (01/30), at the Presidential Office, Jakarta. (Photo by: Agung/PR)

Economic activity, especially in the tourism and creative economy sectors, increased sharply after the revocation of the public activity restrictions (PPKM) policy late last year, according to Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno.

“Economic activity, especially in tourism and the creative economy, has increased significantly with room occupancy rates reaching 80-90 percent in several destinations and for favorite destinations, such as Bandung, Yogyakarta and Bali, the figure even reaches 100 percent,” said Sandiaga after attending a Limited Meeting on Increasing Economic and Tourism Activities After Revocation of Public Activity Restrictions, Monday (01/30), at the Presidential Office, Jakarta

As the tourism sector continues to recover, the Government is targeting an increase in the number of foreign tourists in 2023. To support the achievement of this target, Sandiaga said, the number of international flights will also be increased.

“President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo also gave directives to develop the tourism special economic zones (SEZ) to create business opportunities and jobs,” he added.

Moreover, continued Sandiaga, the Government will also provide facilities for organizing various activities, ranging from MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions), music, to sports which are expected to increase tourist visits, both foreign and domestic tourists.

“There is also deregulation or ease of regulations in terms of organizing events which are expected to trigger MICE activities, as well as music and sports activities, which are expected to boost foreign tourists’ visits to 7.4 million people and 1.4 billion movements of domestic tourists,” he said.

Regarding efforts to achieve the target of creating new jobs in the tourism and creative economy sectors of up to 4.4 million in 2024, Sandiaga said that his party has a number of excellent programs, such as empowering micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), tourist villages and creative village.

“Those excellent programs, such as empowering MSMEs, tourist villages, and creative villages, are expected to create 4.4 million new and quality jobs in 2024,” he remarked. (MAY/UN) (EST/LW)