MP urges central-regional collaboration to develop "urban tourism"

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Hendry Munief, is urging collaboration between the central government and local governments to develop the concept of urban tourism as an economic driver and gateway to other tourism sectors. During a working visit to Tangerang City, Banten, on Monday (13/4), Hendry assessed that the potential for urban tourism in various regions is beginning to emerge, but it has not yet been integrated or managed optimally. “Currently, I see many major cities with urban tourism concepts, such as Tangerang City or in my electoral district, Pekanbaru City. However, I see that this concept is not yet directed, collaborative, or taken seriously. This is what we hope for, so that the central government through the Ministry of Tourism works together with local governments to develop this concept,” he stated in his comments in Jakarta on Tuesday. He believes that strengthening the urban tourism concept requires integrated planning, including the role of the central government in formulating policies and promoting synergy among regions. According to him, one step that can be taken is developing the sister city concept to accelerate the transfer of knowledge and best practices between cities. “We can develop that sister city concept with cities in Indonesia or we can develop this concept in Indonesia. For example, we pair Tangerang City and Pekanbaru City as sister cities so that whatever is done in Tangerang City can be replicated in Pekanbaru City,” he said. Hendry also cited cities abroad that he considers successful in developing urban tourism, such as Incheon in South Korea and Sepang in Malaysia. He noted that the success of those cities is supported by integration between accessibility, infrastructure, and well-managed tourist attractions, including proximity to international airports. According to Hendry, the main indicators of urban tourism include the presence of unique attractions, high accessibility, complete amenities such as hotels and restaurants, and involvement of the local community. With strengthened collaboration and directed planning, he hopes that urban tourism can become a new engine for regional economic growth while also enhancing the competitiveness of national tourism.