Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Menparekraf/Kabaparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno is pushing for increased women's participation in the development of the tourism and creative economy sectors (parekraf) to create an inclusive sector that has a broader impact on society. Speaking at the 'Bakohumas Thematic Forum on the Role of Women in the Development of the Tourism Sector' held at the Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta on Tuesday (6/8/2024), Sandiaga cited the 2023 Global Gender Gap Report, which ranks Indonesia 87th in global gender inequality, having achieved 69.7% gender equality. Sandiaga emphasized the need to improve these numbers to achieve inclusivity and gender equality, highlighting tourism as a sector that offers numerous opportunities for women's participation. To this end, Sandiaga outlined the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening women's human resources in parekraf through training and certification, and providing opportunities for women to pursue education at tourism institutions such as the Polytechnic of Tourism (poltekpar). He also mentioned efforts to encourage women's leadership in the sector and promote female leaders in thousands of tourist villages across Indonesia. Supporting this initiative, Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani, Secretary of the Ministry, noted that women hold 50% of strategic positions in the Ministry. The Ministry is developing Women-Friendly Tourist Villages in collaboration with other ministries, with plans to launch this initiative with the Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration (Mendes PDTT) and the Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection (MenPPPA).
Sri Rahayu Hasiba, a women's empowerment activist in Lombok, shared that local women in Lombok are increasingly active in the tourism and creative economy sectors, particularly in surfing, a popular activity among tourists. Women surfers in Lombok are overcoming stigmas and gaining access to competitions and sponsorships, supported by communities such as Lombok Surfer Girls, which provide free training and networking opportunities. Titin Rosmasari, Editor-in-Chief of CNN Indonesia, highlighted the media's crucial role in promoting women's participation in tourism, emphasizing the rapid dissemination of tourism information and the promotion of responsible tourism practices.
