Creative economy needs a bit of push, marketing, and funding, so they can penetrate the national and international market
Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA) - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno, here on Saturday, invited creative economy business actors to apply the "3SI" principles of Innovation, Adaptation, and Collaboration.

One of the manifestations of the 3SI principles is digitalization. He affirmed that the ministry is striving to increase digitalization for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.

"Creative economy needs a bit of push, marketing, and funding, so they can penetrate the national and international market," he remarked at the 2023 Indonesian Creative Appreciation (AKI) exhibition in Batam.

Uno highlighted that 20 million MSMEs have already been digitized or have entered the e-commerce platforms, out of the target of 30 million digitized MSMEs by 2024.

The minister expects that the AKI exhibition held at a shopping center in Batam can be a great promotional event for curated products of MSMEs.

He is upbeat that the event can help increase MSME's income and result in the upgrade of creative MSMEs.

"They (local products) are presented at malls and blend in with foreign products. Locally-made shoes are not inferior to imported shoes sold here," he pointed out.

According to Uno, some MSME products in the 2023 AKI Exhibition are ready to be marketed abroad.

"We will increase export activities with these creative economy products, so that the achievement of 4.4 million jobs (in the tourism and creative economy sector) can be achieved," Uno stated.

In addition, the minister drew attention to Batam City's huge economic potential in the photography, fashion, crafts, and culinary subsectors that offer vast business opportunities.

The 2023 AKI exhibition in Batam City featured 20 exhibition booths of curated creative economy products from Riau Islands Province, Sumatra Island, and the surrounding areas.

Some four musical works and three films, carrying the theme of "Indonesian Products, Strong Economy," were also displayed at the event.

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Translator: Jessica H, Kenzu
Editor: Sri Haryati
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