Banda Aceh Partners with Grasse, France to Advance Perfume Industry
The Banda Aceh City Government continues to expand its international network to reinforce its position as Indonesia’s Perfume City. This effort was realised through the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) on cooperation between the City of Banda Aceh and the City of Grasse, France, known as the world’s perfume capital, on Wednesday (17/6).
This collaboration is founded on a shared vision between the two cities to develop the potential of aromatic plants and the perfume industry as drivers of sustainable economic growth. Grasse has long been the centre of the global perfume industry, with an ecosystem encompassing education, research, innovation, production, and global marketing. Meanwhile, Banda Aceh is developing itself as Indonesia’s Perfume City, supported by Aceh’s leading commodities such as patchouli and various other aromatic plants.
“Banda Aceh and Grasse were brought together by perfume. But more than that, today we are building a bridge of collaboration between two cities that share the same spirit: developing local potential into a sustainable economic force. We hope this partnership will give rise to concrete programmes that deliver real benefits to the communities in both cities,” said Banda Aceh Mayor Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal in a statement on Tuesday (23/6).
Grasse Mayor Jérôme Viaud welcomed the signing of the LoI as an initial step towards a long-term partnership between the two cities. “Although separated by thousands of kilometres, Grasse and Banda Aceh share the same vision of developing local resources and creating added value for the community. This LoI is the starting point of a partnership built on exchange, trust, and sharing experiences,” said Viaud.
The Banda Aceh–Grasse cooperation prioritises the principle of mutual benefit, focusing on human resource development in the perfume and essential oils industry, fragrance-based tourism development, strengthening the creative economy based on local raw materials, and the exchange of knowledge and technology in the processing and standardisation of aromatic raw materials. The signing of this LoI also marks an initial step for both cities to develop various concrete collaborative programmes, which are expected to progress towards a more comprehensive partnership in the future.
Indonesian Consul General in Marseille, Dian Kusumaningsih, assessed the Banda Aceh–Grasse partnership as a tangible example of how inter-regional government cooperation can open new opportunities in the economic, educational, and innovation sectors. “The partnership between Banda Aceh and Grasse demonstrates how cooperation between local governments can open new opportunities in the fields of economy, education, and innovation. The Indonesian Consulate General in Marseille hopes this collaboration can develop into a mutually beneficial cooperation model and further strengthen Indonesia-France relations at the regional level,” said Dian.
Since its announcement in May 2025 through the “Banda Aceh, Indonesia’s Perfume City” programme, the Banda Aceh City Government has actively built collaborations with MSMEs, universities, ministries and agencies, and various international partners to drive the growth of the national perfume industry, increase the added value of local commodities, and create new economic opportunities and jobs for the community.