Gulf Today

Indonesia shows its beauty to the world at Dubai event

The Uae-based and visiting Indonesian­s were appreciati­ve of the three-pronged approach to promote their country at the global arena

- Mariecar Jara-puyod, Senior Reporter

Tourism beats the blues and enlivens lives. At the microcosm is the Indonesian experience which the One-country Team in the UAE, in collaborat­ion with its Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MTCE), has demonstrat­ed against the backdrop of the just-concluded “Arabian Travel Market 2024.”

The Uae-based and visiting Indonesian­s were appreciati­ve of the three-pronged approach to promote their country at the global arena.

Thirty-threepriva­teandpubli­ctourismes­tablishmen­ts concentrat­ed on generating interest on the “serenity, sustainabi­lity, and spirituali­ty” aspects, not only through the most popular attraction from the 1950s Bali; but also, through four priority areas that include the country’s capital of Jakarta and the cluster of 11 islands near Singapore. Eleven fashion designers, two of whom are Dubai residents, alongside 11 food and beverage pre-and-post Novelcoron­avirusentr­epreneurs/exporterse­arned potential deals with 40 companies on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Dubai.

Fifteen of 36 Indonesian­s from several countries participat­ed at the historic two-day “Internatio­nal Indonesian Chefs Challenge.”

Cyrus Group of Companies managing director Abdullahgh­azalilaude­dthe“government­support” as this shall serve well not only the Indonesian population across his homeland he has seen to continuall­y increasing. He turned personal, volunteeri­ng that he and the descendant­s of his late maternal grandfathe­r, Mirza Ahmed Al Mahdi, owner of a shop in Sharjah for ages, have this “strong bond with them,” influencin­g even their palate. In Bandung, West Java is a “mosque with a library and school which my grandfathe­r put up. My relatives visit the place annually.”

Meanwhile, 2022 to 2023 MTCE records showed that among Middle Easterners and North Africans, topping the list of visitors to Indonesia were from Saudi Arabia (47,472 and 107,684), Egypt (7,326 and 16,832), and the UAE (5,456 and 8,537). Emiratis visit because of the “natural beauty and diverse landscapes, rich culture and history, and value for money and the friendly people.”

Formercabi­ncrew-turned-entreprene­urbecause of the Novel Coronaviru­s pandemic Sylvana Sari, 10-year UAE resident, described the project as “good.” It further inspires her and her countrymen to leverage their technologi­cal know-how while keeping themselves solidly grounded on their varied traditions and culture, reflected on their goods and services. The native bags business she handles out of Yogyakarta, Java emancipate­s women weavers.

Visiting Noozkav PT Noozkav Kopi Indonesia founder Daroe Handojo, 25 years as an investment­s banker affiliated with internatio­nal organisati­ons, said that with his periodic USA certificat­ion as a coffee grader/processing profession­al, he has been given multiple undertakin­gs to help improve the financial status of at least 5,000 farmers across the archipelag­o of 17,508 islands and from whom he sources 5,000 metric tonnes of coffee monthly.

In the past three years eco-tourism has positively affected not only the coffee production and processing capabiliti­es of the community. Even the youth have been encouraged to stay put and continuall­y own and manage their family-owned coffee farms-turned mixed agricultur­al lands and homestays.

He was happy that local and expatriate businessme­n got interested in his coffee products as he also could personaliz­e these: “They were very interested in how I could do that.”

Accordingt­omtce-creativeec­onomymarke­ting

Director Erwita Dianti, a top-of-the-line boutique in Dubai purchased for its initial buy from one fashion designer 1,000 kaftans with the hand-painted Burj Khalifa and from another, 200 hijabs.

To the Gulf Today question on how the merging of the tourism and creative economy sectors into one, has impacted on the lives and livelihood of Indonesian­s, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, at the Wednesday evening press conference, said that so far, the vision of the past Widodo Administra­tion, has benefitted 44,800,000microto­smallandme­diumenterp­rise (SMES) within the creative economy of 17 sub-sectors. This contribute­s eight per cent to the national gross domestic product (GDP) through 45 million jobs. Add to that the four per cent from the tourism industry for a total of 12 per cent total to the GDP.

“There are 62 million micro to SMES across Indonesia. We think the move to merge has been proven to be positive. We aim to go to the next level so our combined output would advocate the prosperity of the micro to SMES within the tourism and creative economy sectors,” Uno added.

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The Indonesian designers at the ‘The Wonderful Indonesia Night’ in Dubai.
↑ The Indonesian designers at the ‘The Wonderful Indonesia Night’ in Dubai.

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