Photo spots become Old Town's strategy to engage youth in cultural preservation

The management of Kota Tua, West Jakarta, has announced its strategy to encourage young people to preserve traditional culture, particularly Betawi heritage, by increasing the number of photo spots.

“Young people like things that are first of all free, have good photo spots, are easily accessible, and can go viral,” said the Head of the Jakarta Kota Tua Area Management Unit, Mr Denny Aputtern, when met in Kota Tua, Jakarta, on Sunday.

Denny stated that there are many ways to introduce the history and origins of the Betawi people to maintain the cultural identity of one of Jakarta’s indigenous ethnic groups. It is hoped that by introducing Betawi culture to the youth, it will continue to be preserved and not abandoned, given its significance as a core part of Jakarta.

One such method involves promoting Kota Tua tourism to young people through viral content on social media.

“I see that children nowadays are people who mix styles influenced by social media and foreign cultures, and they often only encounter things superficially. This is our role—to invite them in,” he said.

In addition, the Kota Tua area also routinely hosts various cultural and community activities, including the “Berkain” event, which encourages the public to wear traditional cloth when visiting museums and public spaces within the area.

Through these various activities, the management hopes that the younger generation will not only visit for tourism or photography purposes but will also understand Jakarta’s history and become more closely acquainted with the Betawi culture that forms part of the city’s long journey.

On weekends, the number of visitors to Kota Tua can reach between 10,000 and 20,000 people per day, with numbers increasing even further during holiday seasons.