Indonesian House of Representatives Member Pushes for Optimisation of Tourism Promotion via Social Media
Purwokerto (ANTARA) - Member of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Siti Mukaromah, is pushing for the optimisation of tourism promotion through the utilisation of social media to increase the attractiveness of destinations while driving economic growth for communities.
“Tourism will become widely known, not only in Banyumas but nationally and even internationally, if the promotion reaches the public,” said Siti Mukaromah during the Technical Guidance event “Promoting the Wonderful Indonesia Brand Through Social Media” in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, on Friday afternoon.
She assessed that social media serves as a strategic tool in promoting regional potential in the digital era, particularly by involving the younger generation who possess creativity in content creation.
According to her, Banyumas’s tourism potential needs to be packaged attractively to spark interest from tourists and deliver economic impacts to the local community.
After the event, which was organised through collaboration between Commission VII of the DPR RI, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Banyumas Regency Youth, Sports, Culture, and Tourism Office (Dinporabudpar), she stated that the amendment to the Tourism Law from No. 10 of 2009 to Law No. 18 of 2025 emphasises an ecosystem-based tourism approach.
“This ecosystem-based tourism involves multiple parties, such as culture, MSMEs, the creative economy, and other interconnected sectors,” she said.
She stated that this approach opens up significant opportunities for tourism sector development, especially if supported by digital technology advancements.
“The utilisation of technology presents a major opportunity, one of which is through social media promotion that can address tourism marketing challenges,” said the legislator, affectionately known as Erma.
She noted that the Ministry of Tourism has a social media-based destination marketing strategy encompassing the entire tourism ecosystem, which requires public support.
As a partner to the government, her side also plays a role in bridging ministry programmes so they can be understood and utilised widely by the public.
During the event, she invited the younger generation, particularly millennials and Gen Z, to enhance their capacity in productively utilising social media.
According to her, the younger generation has an important role as content creators who can serve as the spearhead of tourism promotion.
“Content creators can act as a bridge to publicise and promote tourism along with its entire ecosystem,” she said.
Additionally, activities as content creators are seen as capable of providing added economic value to those involved.
“From the content creators’ perspective, there is economic value that can be gained, while from the nation’s perspective, it becomes a means to introduce Indonesian tourism destinations more broadly,” she said.
She also emphasised that Indonesia’s tourism wealth is not limited to popular destinations like Bali or Borobudur but is spread across various regions, including Banyumas.
With synergy between the government, society, and the younger generation, she is optimistic that the tourism sector can become an economic force capable of growing to national and international levels.
“Indonesia has many destinations with their entire ecosystems, including in Banyumas, which need to be continuously promoted to be known to the world,” said Erma.