Deputy Interior Minister sees Kendari as potential MICE hub

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Interior Minister Akhmad Wiyagus believes that Kendari City in Southeast Sulawesi has great potential to develop into a centre of economic growth as well as the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry in eastern Indonesia. This is to be achieved through strengthening infrastructure, governance, and creative economy development. During the commemoration of Kendari City’s 195th anniversary on Saturday, Wiyagus stated that Kendari’s strategic position as a gateway for logistics, trade, and services in Southeast Sulawesi is a crucial asset for driving sustainable regional economic transformation. “A modern city that still preserves its cultural roots. An economically ambitious city that remains socially inclusive,” Wiyagus said in his statement received in Jakarta. He views the hosting of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) ASPAC 2026 forum in Kendari as an international recognition of the region’s capacity in governance and urban development. According to him, Kendari’s development has successfully integrated infrastructure strengthening with the preservation of local culture, thereby enhancing investment attractiveness and expanding international cooperation networks. Wiyagus also highlighted Kendari’s economic achievements, which recorded growth of 5.16 per cent, exceeding the national average, with controlled inflation at 2.96 per cent through the strengthened performance of the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID). In addition, Kendari has a Human Development Index (IPM) of 86.36, placing the city sixth nationally. According to Wiyagus, these achievements demonstrate that local government investments in education, health, and income improvement are beginning to have a tangible impact on residents’ quality of life. He added that optimising the blue economy potential in the Kendari Bay area could serve as a driver for integrated marine tourism development as well as a distribution centre for leading commodities from various regions in Southeast Sulawesi. “With support from international-standard infrastructure and high-quality human resources, Kendari is deemed to have all the complete requirements to transform into an epicentre of creative economy and a MICE industry hub in eastern Indonesia,” he said. On that occasion, Wiyagus also encouraged strengthening governance based on transparency and digitalisation, accelerating infrastructure development, sustainable city development, strengthening vocational education, and social and cultural resilience based on local wisdom. He hopes that the momentum of Kendari City’s 195th anniversary can serve as a catalyst for accelerating inclusive, competitive, and highly competitive regional development at both national and international levels.