The ministry is currently developing five super-priority tourist destinations under the New Bali program to attract domestic tourists.
"Some Rp150 trillion came from domestic tourists traveling abroad. We are aiming that the five new super-priority destinations, with these strategic national tourism areas, would be able to grab the opportunity or reallocate part of the public funds for traveling abroad," Uno remarked during a webinar titled "Reimagining the Future of Indonesia" on Monday.
The Indonesian government has planned to develop the five tourist destinations called the five New Bali program since 2019.
The five destinations are Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Borobudur in Central Java, Mandalika-Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, and Likupang in North Sulawesi.
Development of the five tourist destinations is expected to be completed by the end of 2021, from initially at the end of 2020.
Related news: Komodo National Park, Labuan Bajo reopen to domestic tourists, expats
"We are striving to make domestic tourists as our mainstay and our backbone. We take the role that is left behind. The term is replacement value,” the minister stated.
Uno believes that Indonesian tourism in future will change with the inculcation of new habits amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The minister believes that tourism entrepreneurs and the creative economy in Indonesia are currently working on personalized, customized, localized, and smaller-size tourism.
“Local tourism operators focus on providing tourism experiences to tourists based on health and safety. I am sure that the number of tourists from Indonesia will return to normal and through the promotion of the CHSE certification. In the coming months, we will optimize it fully, so that 34 million creative economy workers would not only be able to survive but also be able to seize the opportunity to become winners," he affirmed. Related news: Indonesia diverts attention to domestic tourists over coronavirus
Translator: Livia K, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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