The Indonesian Government, led by Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno, is prioritizing the promotion of quality and sustainable tourism to achieve the ambitious goal of welcoming 9.5 to 14.3 million foreign tourists in 2024. Minister Uno, speaking after the National Coordination Meeting on Tourism and Creative Economy 2023 in Bandung, West Java, revealed that this year's foreign tourist visits had already surpassed expectations, reaching 9.49 million against the initial target of 8.5 million. In pursuit of this tourism agenda, the government is actively exploring partnerships with various airlines to expand international flight routes, particularly to the Kertajati West Java International Airport, with the aim of increasing foreign tourist arrivals, especially in West Java Province. Alongside the international tourism target, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is setting ambitious goals for domestic tourism. The plan is to stimulate domestic travel, with targets set at 1.25 billion domestic trips and 1.5 billion movements in 2024.
Minister Uno emphasized the significant contributions of the tourism and creative economy sectors to Indonesia's economic growth. These sectors are expected to contribute nearly 4% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) this year. To further boost the impact on the economy, the government aims to leverage sectors that create job opportunities, aligning with the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045. The creative economy sector, a vital component of this strategy, has made substantial contributions, amounting to Rp1,300 trillion (USD 83.2 billion) to the country's GDP. This achievement places Indonesia's creative economy sector as the world's third-largest contributor to GDP, following the United States and South Korea. Approximately 24 million people in Indonesia have benefited from the empowerment initiatives within the creative economy sector. As Indonesia positions itself on the global stage as a sustainable and quality tourism destination, the government is strategically harnessing the potential of both international and domestic tourism, recognizing their pivotal roles in economic development and job creation.
