Calvin Yang, Dalian, China – Indonesia is working on digitising permits and licences needed to bring in "good quality international events", said the country's Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno.
"Some of the musical events (and) sports events ... have seen Indonesia as a good market, but sort of back away when it has to deal with the bureaucracy, the red tape and the steps it needs to fulfil before the events could be successful," he told CNA on Wednesday (Jun 26) on the sidelines of a World Economic Forum conference in Dalian, China.
Mr Uno said there is a need for flexibility to attract popular events to Indonesia.
The complex bureaucratic processes involved in organising events – particularly for concerts – are to blame for Indonesia losing out from hosting many international acts, President Joko Widodo said on Monday, citing the example of pop star Taylor Swift who held her concerts in Singapore instead.
Quest for developed country status
Indonesia's 11.7 million international tourist arrivals, last year delivered a 40 to 50 per cent increase in spending per person. Its economy is also expected to grow at a steady pace in the coming years, the World Bank said in a report this month.
Its gross domestic product (GDP) growth is forecast to average 5.1 per cent per year from 2024 to 2026, despite geopolitical uncertainties and volatility in food and energy prices.
"It is a bright spot, but we need to grow much higher than that. The new government (President-elect Prabowo Subianto)... has announced that their aim is 8 per cent (gross domestic product growth within two to three years)," said Mr Uno.
"This is something that we need, to make sure that our journey into a developed economy by 2045 would be able to be achieved."
Indonesia has to focus on green transformation and creating quality green jobs in order to sustain domestic consumption, he added.
Improving connectivity for tourists
There is also a need to embrace digital transformation, by continuing to invest in infrastructure and strengthening institutions, Mr Uno said.
He believes it is "absolutely critical" to invest in interconnectivity, especially with more digitally savvy tourists travelling to the country. Already, the country has made some progress, he noted.
"Thanks to technological advancement, we've been able to build a very wide network of internet connections across these tourism destinations. But we need to do more."
Such transformation is also needed in the creative economic industry, which is among the top three in the world, contributing nearly eight per cent to its GDP, Mr Uno pointed out.
"We are transforming very rapidly," he added. "What we need to do is to create better upskilling, reskilling and new skills to have this digital balance. so that they contribute to the creative economy."
The country's creative economic industry includes fashion, craft and culinary arts.
Authorities will be 'very firm' on bad tourist behaviour
On resort destination Bali, which is popular with international visitors, Mr Uno said there is a need to distribute the tourist movement around the island, especially with the southern part seeing greater "congestion".
"We're building infrastructures in different areas of Bali in order to improve the interconnectivity," he added.
In the interview with CNA, Mr Uno also spoke about the bad behaviour of some tourists in Bali, which has ranged from indecent exposure to letting off fireworks in public spaces.
"We need to actively promote and educate tourists that this is the type of behaviour that isn't welcomed. When you come to Indonesia, you respect the culture," he cautioned, adding that social media has been a great tool to monitor negative tourist behaviour.
"We would basically first identify and educate them. But if it continues to be a repeat situation, we are going to be very firm ... including deporting those perpetrators to send a signal and narrative that we're very serious in making sure that our tourism destinations will be quality destinations that promote nature, culture and also adventure."
To move international tourism beyond just Bali, Indonesia is accelerating the development of five 'super priority' destinations – Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Borobudur in Central Java, Mandalika in Lombok, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, and Likupang in North Sulawesi.
The country is also looking to ensure that its products, such as fashion and culinary experiences, are "optimally presented" to the world, Mr Uno noted.
"So this is going to be our focus going forward, to make sure that not only people know about our creative economy, but also the exports of our creative economy," he said.