Jakarta (ANTARA) - Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has said that tourism villages have become a strong grassroots-level program that can support the tourism sector and showcase Indonesia's natural beauty to the world.

"Tourism villages are one of the spearheads of Indonesia's tourism and will be one of our main priorities," she added in a statement released by her ministry here on Monday.

At the 2024 Tourism Village Awards (ADWI) held in Jakarta on Sunday, she underscored that tourism villages have residents who are warm, dedicated, and have a strong determination to develop their villages and make them globally competitive.

The minister proudly outlined several achievements made by tourism villages, such as the "Best Tourism Villages UN Tourism 2024" award received by Jatiluwih Tourism Village in Bali and Wukirsari Tourism Village in Yogyakarta.

"This is the first time that Indonesia has succeeded in achieving two 'Best Tourism Villages' at once in the same year," she added.

She further said that as many as 6,016 tourism villages in Indonesia participated in the 2024 ADWI program. This number reflects a threefold increase since it was first held in 2021.

Of the number, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy awarded the top 50 best tourism villages that emerged as winners in various categories.

On the same occasion, former minister of tourism and creative economy for the 2020–2024 period, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, expressed the hope that going forward, excellent youths who can successfully manage tourism villages will emerge.

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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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