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The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, held a meeting with the Moroccan Ambassador to Indonesia Ouadiâ Benabdellah, at the Sapta Pesona Building, Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf Office, Friday (11/26/2021).

In the meeting, the two discussed the potential for cooperation in the creative economy sector, because previously Indonesia-Morocco did not have an MoU in this sector. In addition, the two countries also discussed the potential for cooperation in organizing international events.

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy hopes that this cooperation will strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in the tourism and creative economy sectors.

"Hopefully we can work together and collaborate with each other in developing tourism and the creative economy in both countries. Especially in the creative economy sector, because there is no MoU and cooperation agreement in the creative economy sector between Indonesia and Morocco. And can help promote and present quality and sustainable tourism," he said.

Morocco is one of the countries that contributes the largest tourism to Indonesia, from quantity to spending money. It was noted that before the COVID-19 pandemic, Moroccan tourist visits to Indonesia in 2017 reached 11,000.

The Moroccan Ambassador to Indonesia, Ouadiâ Benabdellah, said that Moroccan tourists have something in common with Indonesian tourists, namely they tend to stay long enough and buy creative economy products.

"Indonesia and Morocco have something in common when they travel, they come to stay for a long time, then they are both happy to buy handicrafts typical of that country, and come home with lots of suitcases to share with their relatives," said Ouadiâ.

Furthermore, Ouadiâ said that in 2019, the art of Moroccan sahrawi was present at the opening of the 2019 International Creative Crafts Exhibition. He hoped that in the future Morocco could be involved again in international events owned by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.

Ouadiâ also hopes that international events owned by Morocco such as the Rabat Festival can be collaborated with Indonesia.

"We also have the Rabat Festival, this event is the 2nd largest in the world, there are one million visitors who come and this event is also included in UNESCO. Hopefully this can be collaborated," he said//VOI-NK