Jakarta (ANTARA) - An accurate digital service strategy can encourage the recovery of tourism, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry's marketing communication acting director, Firnandi Gufron, has said.

Such a digital strategy could start with providing information on tourism destinations, including the culture and advantages of every region, to draw the public into visiting these locations, he suggested at a virtual event on Thursday.

It would be economically beneficial to properly utilize digital services to introduce tourism destinations and develop micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) around these locations, he remarked.

This could lead to other outcomes such as the emergence of business opportunities and new jobs, he added.

To promote Indonesia's tourism sector, the ministry is supporting greater collaboration that prioritizes solutions and innovations in the digital space.

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One of the digital space utilization programs being developed under the collaboration between the government and the private sector is the Jelajah #SerunyaIndonesia (Explore the Excitement of Indonesia).

The program is being prepared as part of the commemoration of Indonesia's 77th anniversary, themed “Recover Faster, Revive Stronger.”

The collaboration will involve four young content creators who will invite social media platform users to explore 77 tourism destinations through live social media broadcasts.

The virtual tourism destination exploration is expected to not only encourage people to travel, but also provide beneficial education to viewers.

"This program will expose the beauty of tourist destinations in Indonesia and display them on one of the digital platforms with the biggest (number of) users," Gufron explained.

"This is the realization of digitalization that will spur people's interest in travel, know the uniqueness of the nation's culture, and drive the economy, especially MSMEs," he added.

The ministry welcomes this collaboration because its positive impacts could prove beneficial for tourism, which has declined during the COVID-19 era, he remarked.

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Translator: Livia K, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
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