Jember Has the Assets to Become a Tourism Magnet in East Java

Presidential Special Envoy for Tourism Zita Anjani has assessed that Jember Regency possesses strong assets to develop into a tourism magnet in the eastern region of Java. According to her, the wealth of tourist destinations in Jember, combined with the reputation of the Jember Fashion Carnaval (JFC), is a major draw for boosting tourist visits.

“Jember is a pioneer in organising carnivals in Indonesia and has a wealth of complete tourist destinations,” Zita said after attending a Tourism Discussion in Jember on Saturday evening. The discussion, titled “Collaboration Towards Quality, Sustainable, and World-Class Tourism in Jember Regency,” was held with tourism activists, Tourism Ambassadors, Puteri Indonesia, Gus Ning Jember, youth leaders, and MSME players at Pendapa CSL Gebang.

According to Zita, Jember has become a reference for organising carnivals in various regions across Indonesia through the Jember Fashion Carnaval, which has consistently developed since it was first held. “Jember is the pioneer of carnivals in Indonesia. Many regencies and cities that now organise carnivals were inspired by Jember, so we thank Jember and the Jember Fashion Carnaval Foundation for being the mecca of carnivals in Indonesia,” she said.

During her visit to Jember, Zita also attended a series of Jember Fashion Carnaval (JFC) events. This visit was her second, following her attendance at the JFC event the previous year. “JFC holds an important position in the development of the carnival industry in Indonesia, so many regions now hold carnivals inspired by the JFC event,” she said.

Zita assessed that JFC’s success has not only built Jember’s tourism image but also driven the creative economy sector. The event is considered capable of opening up space for fashion players, craftsmen, MSMEs, artists, as well as the hotel and culinary sectors to grow in line with the increase in tourist visits.

She also held a dialogue with Gus Ning Jember regarding the potential for developing the region’s tourism sector. From the discussion, Zita assessed that Jember has diverse tourist attractions, ranging from mountainous areas, waterfalls, and beaches to tourism villages and stretches of rice fields. “Jember has a complete tourism package. There are the foot of Mount Raung, waterfalls, tourism villages, beaches, and expanses of rice fields. Its tourism potential is enormous,” she said.

According to her, this diversity of destinations is a competitive advantage that not all regions possess. Tourists, Zita said, can enjoy natural, cultural, and creative economy tourism in one travel area, thereby extending the length of stay and increasing tourism spending.

Nevertheless, Zita assessed that strengthening air transport connectivity remains a task to be addressed to boost the number of tourist visits. “I hope the frequency of flights to Jember can be increased, including opening more flights connecting Jember with other tourist destinations such as Bali,” she said.