Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is focusing on programmes towards the country’s economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, said Minister Sandiaga Uno on March 10.

According to the minister, the government’s post-pandemic policies are directed at achieving targets in the tourism and creative economy sectors so that they have an impact on improving the community’s economy and creating the widest range of job opportunities.

This year, the ministry set several targets such as attracting 3.4 million to 7.4 million international tourist arrivals, about 1.2 billion to 1.4 billion domestic tourist trips, as well as improving Indonesia’s rank in the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) to be at 29-35.

The country also targets to have 21.93 million workers in the tourism sector and 22.59 million workers in the creative economy sector.

Moreover, foreign exchange earnings from tourism are targeted to reach 2.07 billion USD to 5.95 billion USD.

The tourism sector is expected to contribute 4.1% to the GDP, and the value of creative economy products’ exports is targeted at 26.46 billion USD. The added value of the creative economy is projected to reach 1,279 trillion Rp (about 82.68 billion USD).

The achievement of the targets is pursued with the 3G (Gercep, Geber, Gaspol) strategy of swift action, joint movement, and making the most of potential.

According to Uno, the revocation of the public activity restrictions (PPKM) policy in December 2022 was the starting point for the revival of the tourism and creative economy sectors after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government is encouraging tourism and creative players, mostly micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME), to revive with digitalisation programmes and encourage MSMEs to level up to become corporations or legal entities.

The government is committed to improving the quality of MSME through upskilling, reskilling, and new skilling programmes so that they can develop their businesses, and access business and job opportunities.

Uno said that the ministry will also continue to assist tourism and creative economy players through strengthening tourism attractiveness, incentive and promotion programmes, human resource quality improvement, and subsidies./.