29-10-2023 (JAKARTA) Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, has announced significant progress in the nation’s tourism and creative economy sectors. In an official statement received here on Saturday, he revealed that the tourism sector contributed a substantial 3.6 percent to the national GDP in 2022, equating to a total of US$6.72 billion.
Uno further stated that these sectors have played a crucial role in generating employment, creating as many as 22.89 million jobs in 2022. This demonstrates the vital contribution of tourism and the creative economy to the nation’s workforce.
The creative economy sector, in particular, has achieved noteworthy milestones, with the value of exports of creative economy products surging to US$26.94 billion. This underscores the sector’s resilience and ability to rebound.
During the 6th TEJ Ministerial Round Table held at INTEX Osaka, Japan, on Thursday, Uno expressed his optimism regarding Indonesia’s tourism sector’s ability to make a swift recovery. He stated, “I am very optimistic that tourism will recover quickly and have a more significant impact on the economy after the pandemic.”
Uno’s confidence is rooted in the impressive number of foreign tourists arriving in Indonesia this year. As of August 2023, the country had already welcomed 7.44 million foreign visitors, and the government is aiming to reach 8.5 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2023. These numbers reflect a promising trend for the revival of Indonesia’s tourism industry.
In 2022, the number of domestic tourist trips also witnessed a substantial increase, rising by 19.82 percent year-on-year and reaching a total of 734.86 million trips. This figure is not only a testament to the industry’s resilience but is also 1.76 percent higher than the figures recorded before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the TEJ Ministerial Round Table meeting, representing the Indonesian government, Uno extended an invitation to all stakeholders to join hands in transforming the tourism sector through innovative initiatives, strategic adaptation, and fruitful collaboration. The shared goal is to enhance the quality and sustainability of both domestic and global tourism.
“Our vision is to implement a series of programmes that will not only elevate the potential of the industry but also contribute to the growth of the economy and culture in our region, promote sustainable development, and offer unforgettable experiences to tourists worldwide,” he elucidated.
In line with this vision, Uno is aiming to restore the conditions of the tourism and creative economy sectors to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.
