Local culture in Jayapura is very unique, from the dances, the handicrafts, and the villagers' hospitality
Sentani, Jayapura (ANTARA) - Jayapura District in Papua Province has vast and exotic potential for tourism, according to the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry.

Director of Nusantara Tourism Marketing at the ministry Dwi Marhen Yono said that the tourism potential of Jayapura needs to be managed consistently in order to transform the place into one of the top tourism destinations of Indonesia.

He delivered the statement in Sentani, Jayapura District, on Tuesday.

“Today, we visited Asei Village in East Sentani. This place's main handicrafts are painting upon tree bark, which is modified into more modern items such as bags, wallets, accessories, and more," he elaborated.

Yono said that international tourists come to Indonesia because they want to observe its local cultures, and Asei residents have been consistent in maintaining their local culture to date.

"Local culture in Jayapura is very unique, from the dances, the handicrafts, and the villagers' hospitality, (all of those) are part of their charm that makes foreign tourists fall in love with Indonesia," he added.

His visit to the village was a follow-up to a directive from Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno as part of efforts to turn Jayapura villages into tourism destinations by 2024.

He informed that in 2021, Yoboi Village, Jayapura, was given a tourism village award, however, it was not nominated in the next two years. Thus, he said that the ministry expects Asei Village to win nominations so that more Papuan villages will get billing as tourism villages.

For the 2024 tourism village award, his administration has urged Yoboi and Asei villages in Jayapura to participate and win.

"These two villages have local cultural potentials, which are so dominant and unique, and still maintained from the past until now. Hence, they need to be encouraged to be tourism villages for 2024 (nominations)," he added.

Related news: Minister ready to visit 75 tourist villages within ADWI program
Related news: Cooperation helps develop tourism potential in West Papua: ministry
Related news: Tanah Papua Festival to promote local tourism: govt

Translator: Agustina Estevani J, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2023