Jakarta – Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Menparekraf/Kabaparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno wants the Indonesian Student Association (PPI) for the World to become tourism ambassadors who are at the forefront of promoting the tourism sector and the country’s creative economy abroad.

Menparekraf Sandiaga when he was a keynote speaker at the PPI World Symposium in Building D of the Office of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta, Tuesday (23/8/2022) explained that previously not many had realized the potential and role of students in overseas. However, at this time his party through the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is encouraging PPI to become Indonesian tourism ambassadors.

“In the past, the government did not use the PPI concept as the front line, now the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy encourages PPI as an ambassador for Indonesian tourism. We want them to be a part of efforts to promote tourism products and the creative economy in the country. We have many programs to collaborate with and we want overseas students to become our tourism ambassadors wherever they are,” he said.

In front of the PPI from 60 countries present, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy explained that the trend of the tourism sector and the creative economy was changing. This pandemic, on the other hand, has a positive side because it accelerates the paradigm shift in tourism development from quantity tourism to quality and sustainable tourism.

“We emphasize the principle of sustainable tourism which depends on what we offer to tourists according to future tourism trends, namely more personalized, customized, localized, and smaller in size,” said Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga accompanied by the Director of Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Parkerraf/Baparekraf Wawan Ruswan.

According to the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, the movement of domestic tourists will be a mainstay in the recovery of the national tourism sector in 2022 with a target of 260 million to 280 million movements. It is estimated that the contribution of the tourism sector to the national GDP in 2022 will reach 4.3 percent. Slightly higher than the estimated achievement in 2021, which is 4.2 percent.

“In addition, in terms of added value, the creative economy is targeted to reach IDR 1,236 trillion in 2022. The export value of creative products is targeted to reach 21.28 billion US dollars. The impact of this growth will certainly expand the number of jobs in the tourism sector,” added Sandiaga Uno.

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy targets that by 2022 there will be 400,000 new quality jobs in the tourism sector. Meanwhile, in the Creative Economy sector, more than 600,000-700,000 jobs will grow, which is supported by the leading sectors, namely culinary, craft, and fashion.

“And my experience as a leader in the business sector, with innovation being able to get through several crises, I believe we will be able to create a stronger economy, and create jobs for 1.1 million people, and next year-2024 there will be 4.4 million jobs. new,” he said.

In this regard, he will collaborate with all parties to improve digital literacy for MSME actors. Currently, said Menparekraf Sandiaga, 73 percent of MSMEs in Indonesia have not been touched by digitalization.
“We will make sure that with the mentoring and financing program, we will increase the number of young people and MSMEs who are connected and enter the digital economy ecosystem,” he concluded. (Olpah Sari Risanta).