Environmental Preservation Vital in Tourism Village Development: MPR

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Efforts aimed at developing tourism villages should be exerted in tandem with the preservation of the living environment and local wisdom, stated Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat.

Moerdijat remarked that the development of tourism villages should also result in economic benefits for the local residents.

"All parties should provide support for efforts aimed at developing tourism villages in the hopes of boosting the rural economy and preserving local wisdom and the environment," she noted in a statement issued by her office in Jakarta on Sunday (March 17).

Moerdijat emphasized the need to tap into potentials possessed by Indonesian villages to accelerate growth and solidify the resilience of the national economy.

She then drew attention to the Village Development Index (IDM) of the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, showing that as many as 23,030 villages had reached the status of developed village as of 2023.

The legislator added that village development measures had been instrumental in bringing continued progress to Indonesian rural regions.

Bearing that in mind, Moerdijat deemed it vital for all relevant stakeholders to take into account the principles of sustainability in developing villages, especially those possessing tourism appeal.

"Relevant stakeholders at the central and regional levels need to continue to maintain solid collaboration in order to create developed and sustainable villages in the country," she emphasized.

On March 9, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno launched the 2024 Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI) as a featured program that aims to appreciate tourism actors for their role in developing the economic and socio-cultural aspects of villages.

"Through this program, the government affirms its commitment to providing assistance and establishing collaboration with strategic partners to ensure continued developments in the capacity of villages," he stated.

During its first edition in 2021, ADWI drew participation from 1,831 tourism villages, while 3,419 and 4,572 villages registered for the program in the 2022 and 2023 editions, respectively, he noted.

Currently, a total of 4,812 tourism villages have been registered in the Network of Tourism Villages (Jadesta).

ANTARA

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