Govt Urges People to Emulate Batak Hospitality in Welcoming Tourists

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has urged people to adopt the spirit of hospitality of the Batak people and emulate it in welcoming tourists visiting tourism villages.

"Think of all guests as uncles. We all are already able, always wanting to give the best for guests. In our culture, we are used to being like that. So, give our best," the director of tourism human resources development at the ministry Florida Pardosi said in an official statement received on Friday.

Pardosi attended the Tourism Awareness socialization in Toba district, North Sumatra. The program was a part of the Tourism Awareness Campaign 5.0, which aims to build up knowledge of the potential of each tourism village covered by the campaign.

Tourism Awareness Campaign 5.0 kicked off in 2022 in 65 villages and has been continued in 2023 at an additional 90 tourist villages in 6 priority tourism destinations, which include Lake Toba, Yogyakarta's Borobudur and Prambanan, Tengger's Bromo and Semeru, Lombok, Labuan Bajo, and Wakatobi.

In Toba district, the socialization will be conducted from March 22 to March 25 in the lake's buffer zones, which include Parparean I village and Sigapiton in Toba district, as well as Pangambatan and Dokan villages in Karo district.

On the same occasion, head of the Toba Cultural Affairs and Tourism Office Rusti Hutapea said that officials from the ministry and other speakers were present at the event to educate and assist people so that they would understand their region's tourism potential.

“So, we would understand and realize that the existing tourism potential can be managed for public welfare," Hutapea added.

Meanwhile, the deputy of resources and institutions at the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, Martini M. Paham, said that tourism villages are being encouraged to discover and develop iconic products from their line-up of tourism products.

"Tourism village needs branding, one of which is by highlighting local uniqueness," Paham explained.

Some time ago, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno had said that his ministry is taking part in developing integrated and sustainable tourism through its program.

"Through the Integrated and Sustainable Tourism Development program, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is committed to taking part in supporting the improvement and preparation of superior and professional human resources in the field of tourism and creative economy, such as through training for tourism players in tourism villages," the minister informed.

ANTARA

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