However, not only waste (management), but we are also encouraging the use of new and renewable energy in tourism destinations.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno has said that waste management in tourist villages is a shared responsibility between the government and the community.

"It is the responsibility of all of us: the community, central government, local governments, district and city governments, as well as village administrations," he noted in a webinar on “Plastic Waste Management to Mitigate Climate Change” on Tuesday.

Young people, housewives, media, and educational institutions must also be involved in waste management, he said.

The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has been tasked with developing tourism destinations in accordance with the CHSE (cleanliness, health, safety, and environmental sustainability) concept.

"Waste management is included in the environmental sustainability aspect. However, not only waste (management), but we are also encouraging the use of new and renewable energy in tourism destinations," the minister said.

His ministry has been asked by President Joko Widodo to focus on realizing sustainable tourism and creative economy to help achieve the plastic marine debris reduction target of 70 percent by 2025.

Related news: Minister presses for cleanliness improvement in tourist villages

Regarding the handling of marine debris, he said that the ministry has issued Ministerial Regulation Number 9 of 2021 regarding guidelines for sustainable tourism destinations as well as Ministerial Regulation Number 5 of 2020 on guidelines for plastic waste management at marine tourism destinations.

In addition, the ministry has certified sustainable tourism villages as well as provided training and assistance in managing plastic waste to villages.

"We have just implemented the 2022 Indonesian Tourism Village Award where we, along with the certification body Indonesian Sustainable Tourism Council (ISTC), gave sustainable tourism village certification to two tourist villages," Uno informed.

The villages are Alamendah Tourism Village, Bandung district, West Java province, and Wukirsari Tourism Village, Bantul district, Yogyakarta province, he added.

So far, there are more than 30 villages have received the Sustainable Tourism Village certificate, the minister noted.

"Furthermore, we will continue to provide assistance on plastic waste management SOPs (standard operating procedures) at various marine tourism destinations, including Lake Toba, Banyuwangi district, Bali province, Mandalika area, and Labuan Bajo area,” he said.

The activity will involve other institutions, including the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, the Environment and Forestry Ministry, local governments, tourism destination managers, the community, and educational institutions, he added.

Related news: Public participation social capital for resolving waste problem
Related news: Waste management still posing challenges: Environment Ministry

Translator: Suci Nurhaliza, Uyu Liman
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2022