"With Indonesia holding ASEAN chairmanship, it is highly expected that the foreign tourist visits potential will spread to regions, including Central Sulawesi," the province's Head of Industry and Trade Office Richard Arnaldo said in Palu, on Sunday.
He believes that such a trend will, in turn, provide positive impacts on the marketing of MSMEs products.
This year, Indonesia holds the ASEAN chairmanship, and it has adopted the theme of "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth'' that reflects its focus on the efforts to retain the bloc's position as an economic growth center.
At the 42nd ASEAN Summit from May 9–11 in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, the bloc's leaders produced a number of important documents and statements, including the Declaration on Advancing Regional Payment Connectivity and Promoting Local Currency Transactions and the ASEAN Leaders' Joint Statement on the Development of the ASEAN Community's Post-2025 Vision.
Arnaldo said that many MSMEs actors sell their products in the province's tourist destinations, so an increase in foreign tourists visits is expected to increase their income.
With that in mind, the provincial government continues to provide assistance and training to MSMEs actors in Central Sulawesi, he noted.
The trainings provided include efforts to encourage MSMEs actors to improve packaging technique, as well as optimize digital technology and marketplaces in a bid to boost their products' competitiveness, Arnaldo outlined.
He expressed his belief that by optimizing digital technology, the province's MSMEs will be better prepared to face the digitalization era and develop their businesses, so their products can reach the ASEAN market.
Currently, he said, of around 11 thousand registered MSMEs, 171 of them have undergone a curation process to ensure that they will produce the finest products.
"We truly hope that MSMEs can make the most of the opportunity when foreign tourists visit Indonesia. They (MSMEs) need to showcase their best products and make all-out promotion efforts," he pointed out.
He informed that a number of products of the MSMEs have been registered in marketplaces, including Bintang Harapan Coffee and Costa Coffee, which have managed to penetrate Asian markets.
Arnaldo also expressed hope that the 42nd ASEAN Summit will enable the province's MSMEs to market their products in ASEAN countries.
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Translator: Nur Amalia, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Sri Haryati
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