VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 11 - Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan continues to promote the Proud to Travel in Indonesia campaign among members of the community to drive recovery of the national tourism sector.

"We need to campaign for this proud of traveling in Indonesia movement to restore the tourism sector in Indonesia. During the pandemic, we know that the number of domestic tourists to various tourism destinations in Indonesia had declined. Apart from restoring the national economy, we are proud to travel in Indonesia. Hence, our pride and ownership of the country’s various tourism potential will grow," Pandjaitan stated at the Communication Forum in Banyuwangi, Wednesday (Feb 10).

In a written statement in Jakarta, Thursday, the minister highlighted that Banyuwangi District, East Java Province, was one of the areas currently being prioritized to develop the tourism sector.

According to Pandjaitan, Banyuwangi held huge tourism potential and was currently known internationally for its various tourism, nature, and world-scale activities. In 2021, Banyuwangi, located at the easternmost end of East Java, will be prepared to host the world surfing league.

"Apart from that, the central government also proposes the Ijen geopark to enter the UNESCO world geopark network. In addition, one of the government's efforts to advance the national tourism sector is by integrating elements of information technology, specifically integrated digital services and digital payments," he remarked.

In line with this commitment to facilitate access to tourist destinations, the minister highlighted that the government was also building various connectivity infrastructure.

Pandjaitan is optimistic that through such efforts, all stakeholders, including social media activists, would be able to promote Banyuwangi’s tourism and "Proud to Travel in Indonesia" campaign.

The minister also advised that apart from traveling, health factors were also important, particularly in the current pandemic situation.

"I need to remind you to maintain health protocols, as our health is the main aspect," he emphasized.

Head of Banyuwangi District Abdullah Azwar Anas affirmed that since the start, Banyuwangi was an area that did not hold much appeal, was located far from the center of urban growth, and had no airport, so it had not been able to capture the attention of other regions in Indonesia.

This was the situation in Banyuwangi several years earlier and has slowly changed for the better.

"This is what we see because there is no option to complain. The option is how to solve the problem, so a large plantation and a large forest area flanked by three national parks is an opportunity. Hence, we decided that the diamond triangle would be a tourism development strategy," he stated.

Anas noted that not everyone were supportive of his tourism development efforts since the sector is considered as an image and a waste of money.

The district head remarked that progress and development, currently ongoing in Banyuwangi, was not achieved instantaneously and was the result of several efforts being made to change the status of the region for the better. Apart from the vast tourism potential, cultural aspects are also being developed along with innovations.

Hence, the Banyuwangi district government had organized several events and festivals, with the number of events reaching 100, to promote the culture and nature.

"For Banyuwangi, the festival is not only a matter of tourism, but this is also our way of stemming the influence of global cultural interventions each second through our cellphones. Hence, Banyuwangi has made several improvements," Anas concluded. (Antaranews)