VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno stated that Indonesia's tourism and creative economy sectors have shown significant recovery.

"Based on the collected data, the tourism sector contributed up to 3.6 percent to the national GDP, or US$6.72 billion in 2022," he noted in an official statement received here on Saturday.

According to Uno, the tourism and creative economy sectors have created as many as 22.89 million jobs in 2022.

Moreover, the creative economy sector recorded promising achievement, as the value of exports of creative economy products had risen to US$26.94 billion.

Based on those achievements, Uno expressed optimism at the 6th TEJ Ministerial Round Table at INTEX Osaka, Japan, on Thursday, that Indonesia's tourism sector would be able to recover quickly.

"I am very optimistic that tourism will recover quickly and have a bigger impact on the economy after the pandemic," he remarked.

His optimism is based on the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia this year, which, as of August 2023, had reached 7.44 million. The government is targeting foreign tourist arrivals to reach 8.5 million in 2023.

In 2022, the number of domestic tourist trips also showed a significant increase of 19.82 percent year on year, reaching 734.86 million trips. The figure is also 1.76 percent higher as compared to the figure recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the meeting, Uno, representing the Indonesian government, invited all parties to transform the tourism sector through innovative initiatives, strategic adaptation, and beneficial collaboration.

The aim is to improve the quality and sustainability of domestic and global tourism.

"Our vision is implementing a series of programs that will not only improve the potential of the industry but also contribute to the growth of the economy and culture in our region, encourage sustainable development, and create memorable experiences for tourists around the world," he explained.

In this regard, he is targeting to make the conditions of the tourism and creative economy sectors return to the pre-pandemic level in 2024. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesia is experiencing a digital economy boom, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said at the Asian Creative and Digital Economy Youth Summit (ACE-YS 2023), here on Sunday.

"We are probably an Asian tiger that is growing rapidly in creative and digital economy ecosystems," he stated at the event held at the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) in Jakarta.

Based on the study by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company, Indonesia's digital economy in 2022 was expected to reach US$77 billion or grow 22 percent from 2021. The number is expected to double to US$130 billion in 2025.

Much of that growth has been driven by e-commerce, but more subsectors, such as the game, music, film, and animation industries, have shifted to the digital realm, therefore contributing to the digital economy.

Meanwhile, the growth of e-commerce's gross merchandise value (GMV) in Indonesia is estimated to increase from US$59 billion in 2022 to US$95 billion in 2025.

"Not only e-commerce, but (in the digital economy), we also look at (online) transportation, online food delivery, online travel, such as Traveloka, Tiket.com, and online media. So, (Indonesia's) digital economy as a whole, is expected to reach US$400 billion in 2030," Uno said.

He said Indonesia needs 600 thousand digital talents every year for the next nine years. However, currently, only 400 thousand digital talents can be produced every year through the education sector.

Uno explained that there is a gap of 200 thousand talents that need to be made available. According to him, this can be done by using innovation, research, artificial intelligence, and gamification to educate young people on digital skills and knowledge.

"If (the gap) is not filled, it will slow down our digital economy and greatly impact our target of becoming a developed country by 2045," he said. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Chairperson Erick Thohir affirmed that the Gelora Bung Tomo (GBT) Stadium in Surabaya, East Java, had reached 100 percent of feasibility and readiness to host the U-17 World Cup 2023.

Thohir, also serving as chairman of the event's Local Organizing Committee, extended his gratitude for all parties supporting the preparation of the stadium.

"I would like to appreciate the support given by Surabaya Mayor, PUPR (Public Works and Public Housing) Minister, Youth and Sports Minister, and colleagues from state-owned enterprises PLN and Telkom," he said after inspecting the GBT Stadium on Sunday.

He also expressed hope that as the host, Indonesia would succeed in presenting the best opening ceremony for this junior-level football world championship.

"We have succeeded in demonstrating our capability of properly organizing events, such as the (2018) Asian Games, the (42nd and 43rd) ASEAN Summit, and the G20 Summit in Bali. Hopefully, this (world cup) will also be the best," he said.

Furthermore, Thohir highlighted that the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has praised the quality of facilities at the stadium.

"However, we still need to anticipate such potential problems as security problems and traffic congestion, because FIFA will pay attention to them," he noted.

He then informed that President of FIFA Gianni Infantino is scheduled to personally attend the opening ceremony of the U-17 World Cup at GBT Stadium on November 10.

"God Willing, the FIFA President will come to Jakarta on November 9 and arrive here (in Surabaya) the day after. He has expressed his commitment to attending the opening and closing ceremonies," he pointed out.

President Joko Widodo will surely join the ceremonies, he underscored.

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo extended his appreciation to the Surabaya municipal government, state-run enterprises, PUPR Ministry, and several institutions for their utmost efforts to prepare and polish the GBT Stadium.

"God Willing, the opening ceremony will be the best in the history of the U-17 World Cup," he said.

The minister then hoped that relevant parties would intensify the dissemination and promotion of the world cup to reach the entire population. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The task of realizing the 2045 Golden Indonesia goal rests with Indonesian millennials, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam), Mahfud MD, has said.

"We are lucky to have young people who are progressive revolutionaries and who have led Indonesia to become an independent country; therefore, this struggle must be continued, especially toward a golden Indonesia in 2045," he said during the commemoration of Youth Pledge Day with the Ambon City Latupati Council at Pattimura University, Ambon, Maluku, on Saturday.

Indonesia, he said, is currently seeking to become more advanced as an independent country through efforts based on the Constitution; therefore, generation Z and millennials must help build the nation's independence by developing their skills.

"Fulfilling independence means advancing and developing oneself because the state has provided facilities to move toward a golden Indonesia," he added.

He cited Indonesia's first president Soekarno's view that independence was a golden bridge. The golden bridge has been used to cross to a better Indonesia, he said.

"A golden Indonesia will be achieved if all citizens of the nation are able to protect this country," he emphasized.

Mahfud also expressed optimism about Indonesia's young generation since young people are intelligent and have a deep sense of being Indonesian.

"Indonesian youth in general have a deep sense of being Indonesian, so a sense of nationalism must continue to be fostered," he said.

The government only needs to lend support then so that the feeling of nationalism among the younger generation continues to surge and Indonesia becomes a safe, peaceful, and prosperous country, according to him.

The commemoration of Youth Pledge Day was initiated by the Ambon City Latupati Council with the theme of "Jujaro Mungare" and the aim of realizing the Golden Indonesia goal.

The activity included seminars and workshops with a number of resource persons, including the Indonesian Ambassador to Serbia Samuel Samson.

National Development Planning Minister and head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Suharso Monoarfa, stated earlier that the technocratic design of the 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) is instrumental for realizing the Golden Indonesia goal,

"The 2025–2029 RPJMN is very strategic. If we can show good things and how to do it, the achievement of Golden Indonesia 2045 will be more rational for all," he added during a meeting on the drafting of the technocratic design for the RPJMN in Yogyakarta recently.

Under the Golden Indonesia vision, the nation is aiming to increase its per capita to US$30,300, eliminate poverty, reduce inequality, and achieve a Human Development Index reading of 0.73.

By 2045, Indonesia is also aiming to be in the top 15 in the Global Power Index and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions toward achieving net zero emissions.

To support the goal, the government is preparing the 2025–2029 RPJMN as a science-based policy approach and scientific framework. (Antaranews)