Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - Indonesia has the potential to enter the world's top 15 in the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) after ranking 22nd in 2023, according to a tourism official.

"Our challenge lies in improving cross-sector collaboration," said Dessy Ruhati, Deputy for Strategic Policy at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, during a virtual press conference from Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday.

She remarked that this opportunity continues the positive trend of Indonesia's tourism growth following the pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indonesia's TTDI ranking among 119 countries was 22nd in 2023, up 10 positions from 2021. The assessment, conducted by the World Economic Forum (WEF), is announced every two years.

Ruhati noted that the Indonesian Quality Tourism Conference (IQTC) in Bali on August 29-30 will discuss efforts to further improve Indonesia's tourism index ranking.

Meanwhile, Odo R. M. Manuhutu, Deputy for Tourism and Creative Economy at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, emphasized the need for regional government policy support aligned with the quality of tourism to boost the index.

He noted that regional governments are expected to allocate at least 1 percent of their budgets to tourism and to improve basic infrastructure.

Manuhutu also stressed the importance of making several improvements, particularly in waste handling and management, including plastic waste.

"If all sectors focus on making these improvements, we are optimistic about reaching the top 15 ranking through mutual understanding and coordinated action," he stated.

In addition to waste management, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is also planning several initiatives to boost Indonesia's tourism index, including enhancing health services, expanding information and communication networks, and improving services to tourists.

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Translator: Dewa Ketut S W, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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