Jakarta. Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno recently called for an adaptive and responsive tourism bill.

The House of Representatives has proposed a bill to revise the 2009 law on tourism as the sector becomes a huge contributor to the country’s foreign exchange. Today, a committee of lawmakers is working on the bill. According to Sandiaga, ensuring the bill’s adaptability and responsiveness is key to creating sustainable and quality tourism.

“We have had the 2009 Law on Tourism for almost 15 years. We need to design the bill together so it would make a greater contribution in the future,” Sandiaga was quoted as saying in a recent press statement.

The tourism industry contributed $14 billion in Indonesia’s foreign exchange revenue, higher than the targeted $7.08 billion-$9.99 billion. The tourism and creative economy sectors make up 3.9 percent of Indonesia’s gross domestic product. The creative economy’s added values also reach Rp 1,414.77 trillion, according to Sandiaga. The minister said that both sectors had undergone massive changes due to Covid-19 and the various preferences of global tourists.

“For this reason, I invite all parties to support and collaborate with each other. Hopefully, the Tourism Law can provide better legal certainty and become a basis for us to drive Indonesia’s growth,” Sandiaga said.

The draft Tourism Bill has a number of discussion points. This includes deciding that there is a paradigm shift. Tourism must be regulated based on a “new paradigm”, something that other countries have already adopted, according to Agustina Wilujeng Pramestuti, the deputy chairperson for Commission X at the House of Representatives. 

The bill also discusses the management of mass and sustainable tourism. Other points of discussion within the bill include the so-called “destination management organization” and the strengthening of national identity. The latter concept sees the introduction of cultural values and heritage, among others, through education from an early age, according to Agustin.

Agustin said the House had formally discussed the tourism bill five times. They have also included the bill in discussions related to the state budget. Agustin added: “I would say that the bill has progressed quite well.”