“So, if this year, the target is 1.8–3.6 million, then next year, we will double it,” he informed at the "The Weekly Brief with Sandi Uno" event here on Monday.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has predicted that the tourism sector will grow 70 percent compared to 2019. According to Uno, this is a very good signal for tourism development.
Although in the post-pandemic phase, there will be many challenges, such as rising flight ticket prices and volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, it is hoped that the ministry will accelerate the recovery of the tourism industry market as well as the creative economy with the right policies, he added.
He said that currently, the ministry is still focusing on domestic tourists.
"However, I believe that with a better visa policy, with more direct flight connectivity, Indonesia will be able to achieve the target in 2023," he added.
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The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will also push the development of five super-priority destinations (DSPs), several annual events, MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition) events, and improvement in the quality of tourism through reskilling, newskilling, and upskilling human resources in related sectors.
“And, of course, the flagship programs: tourism village, Creative District/City (KaTa), and Indonesia Spice Up the World, inshallah (if God wills), will show significant progress, especially in 2023. Thus, it looks like next year will be quite bright for tourism,” the minister remarked.
The number of international tourists visiting Indonesia from January to June 2022 stood at 743.21 thousand, an increase of 929.66 percent compared to the year-ago period. This achievement was followed by an increase in the occupancy rate of five-star hotel rooms in Indonesia in June 2022, which reached 50.28 percent, or up 11.73 percent compared to the previous year.
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Translator: M Baqir, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
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