Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, congratulated the launch of WIES 2025, associating West Sumatra as a culinary halal destination and emphasizing the continuous development of WIES. The event's preparation was marked by a discussion themed "Mosque as the Center for Entrepreneurship Empowerment and Innovation." WIES 2025 is anticipated to be pivotal for the growth of halal entrepreneurship in Indonesia, particularly in tourism and the creative economy. First held in 2023, WIES serves as a platform for Muslim entrepreneurs from 24 countries to exchange information, create business opportunities, and generate new jobs. It also aims to strengthen West Sumatra's image as a key hub for the global halal entrepreneurship ecosystem. Sandiaga emphasized the choice of Padang and West Sumatra due to their prominence as a model for Muslim entrepreneurship, noting the significant business presence of local entrepreneurs. Indonesia's tourism and creative economy sectors are steadily improving, with the country ranking 22nd globally in the TTDI by the World Economic Forum, surpassing Belgium, New Zealand, and Turkey. Additionally, Indonesia was named the Top Muslim Friendly Destination of the Year 2023 by the Mastercard Crescentrating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI). Sandiaga intends to leverage this recognition to promote WIES 2025 across Southeast Asia and the Middle East, expressing hope that the event will see a fivefold increase in attendees, reaching 50,000 visitors, and significantly expanding the number of participating countries.
West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Ansharullah hopes that the return of the World Islamic Entrepreneurship Summit (WIES) will inspire the resurgence of MSMEs in the region, particularly in tourism and the creative economy. He highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of West Sumatra's residents, expressing optimism that the event would boost innovation and help them face future challenges with renewed vigor. Governor Mahyeldi noted that West Sumatra is categorized as having moderate fiscal capacity and aims to elevate its status to high fiscal capacity through a strong focus on tourism, which in turn is expected to enhance MSME growth. The event was also attended by the Expert Staff for Business Development at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Masruroh. Sandiaga stated that he will continue to support WIES 2025 to provide leadership in global Islamic entrepreneurship and hopes that the event will set a new benchmark by attracting a significant number of international participants.
