Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno discussed the post-pandemic challenges in tourism and creative economy sector with former tourism minister Arief Yahya, and former head of creative economy agency Triawan Munaf.
In a talkshow at the 2021 Appreciation of Indonesian Creation (AKI) event, Uno told Yahya and Munaf about the program that have been conducted in 16 cities and involved best micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the respective cities.
“We create the program to revive Indonesia’s economy amid the pandemic by enhancing the capacity and publicity of the creative economy players. Among the sectors took part in the program are culinary, craft, fashion, digital (animation, games, applications), film, and music. This is in line with the National Mid-term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2020-2024,” Uno said in a statement here on Sunday.
The 2021 AKI is one of the ministry’s programs expected to be right on target, benefits, and time, he informed.
"The program is expected to boost the economy and create jobs. We expect that (the job creation) will touch the baseline this year and job creation in creative economy will recover and be on the same level with the pre-pandemic figures next year," he said.
Meanwhile, former tourism minister Arief Yahya explained that tourism sector is the easiest and cheapest way to contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), foreign exchange, and employment as compared to the high cost for investment in oil and gas sector.
"President Jokowi at the time asked me about our nation’s core economy. I firmly and consistently answered that our core economy was tourism and creative economy,” he said.
Indonesia's competitiveness index in tourism ranked 42nd in 2017 out of 135 countries assessed by the World Economic Forum.
Former head of creative economy agency Triawan Munaf noted that the creative economy sector to date has experienced the hardest period since the state budget had to be refocused for COVID-19 handling while transportation and people's mobility were restricted during the pandemic.
"The creative economy law is necessitated to bolster the creative economy industry, especially post-pandemic since the law will help facilitate the creative economy players to keep their business on track in the future," he remarked.
Related news: Creative Economy Minister provides sales tips at 2021 AKI
Related news: GATF to boost tourism industry recovery: Tourism Minister
Related news: Minister asks gamers to support local games
Editor : Mahdani
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Kalimantan Selatan 2021