TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno is buoyant about the Saudi Arabian government investing in Indonesia, especially in the field of tourism infrastructure.

To this end, Uno met with Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ahmed Al Khatieb to sign a memorandum of understanding to strengthen partnerships in the tourism sector in order to have a major impact on society, especially in encouraging economic revival and job creation.

"This signing is also historic because it is the first post-G20 follow-up where we will expect investment from the Government of Saudi Arabia, especially in the field of tourism infrastructure. One that is discussed is the cable car that is planned to be placed in several leading tourism destinations, such as Puncak," Uno noted in Saudi Arabia, through an official statement on Saturday.

The scope of this memorandum of understanding encompasses several aspects including data exchange, best practice exchange, and joint promotion between the two countries.

Moreover, the cooperation agreement covers investment; publications focusing on education, training, and research in the field of tourism; and comprehensive cooperation in international forums and organizations

"The joint promotion plan and steps to facilitate tourist visits will be the main focus of several areas of cooperation. It is hoped that this would increase the number of tourist visits from Saudi Arabia to Indonesia," he stated.

Based on data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), some 157,512 foreign tourists visited Saudi Arabia in 2019, with an average spending of US$2,277 per foreign traveler per visit.

"Based on data, tourists from Saudi Arabia like beaches, mountains, and family tourism. This is interesting because Saudi Arabia has declared that sustainable tourism is their focus, and Indonesia is certainly one of the references in quality and sustainable tourism," he stated.

ANTARA

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