Ministry of Tourism Commits to Transparency and Strengthening Synergy with Commission VII

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Tourism has emphasised its commitment to upholding transparency and strengthening collaborative efforts with all members of Commission VII of the House of Representatives (DPR RI). “We are committed to continuing to maintain transparency and strengthening synergy moving forward,” said Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana in an official statement confirmed in Jakarta on Thursday. During a Working Committee meeting with Commission VII of the DPR RI in Jakarta on Wednesday (1/4), Widiyanti appreciated the various inputs from Commission VII of the DPR RI as an important part in perfecting future policies and programmes. According to her, oversight and support from Commission VII are crucial in ensuring that every programme runs on target and delivers real impacts for the community and the development of Indonesian tourism. In response, Chairman of Commission VII of the DPR RI Saleh P. Daulay conveyed that his side understands the budget realisation report as well as the global impacts on national tourism. The recommendations include reviewing the budget structure in each Echelon I work unit to make it more proportional, balanced, and on target, up to carefully calculating adjustments to mitigation programmes so as not to hinder the achievement of strategic goals in the national tourism sector. Commission VII of the DPR RI also encourages the optimisation of the Southeast Asian tourist market as a priority, as well as strengthening the arrangement of the Labuan Bajo area through business standardisation and certification. This step is deemed important to guarantee aspects of conservation, safety, and economic sustainability for local communities. Support for strengthening the international MICE sector also received attention, including through cross-ministerial/institutional coordination related to C10 and C11 visa policies. Saleh also emphasised the importance of strengthening visa-free policies, optimising the role of tourism police, affirming length of stay, and accelerating the implementation of plastic-free policies at tourist destinations. This includes the development of regenerative tourism which is promoted as a strategic policy that emphasises environmental restoration, impact mitigation, and balance for community economics. It is known that in the meeting, Minister Widiyanti presented various achievements and strategic steps, from the realisation of flagship programmes, contributions and benefits of work programmes, to the impacts of global dynamics, including conflicts in the Middle East on Indonesia’s tourism sector. The government has also prepared strategy adjustments to ensure the tourism sector remains adaptive and resilient in facing global challenges. She emphasised that as a mitigation step, the Ministry of Tourism has prepared strategy adjustments with a focus on shifting target markets. Its implementation will be carried out gradually, in line with the development of the geopolitical situation.