West Bandung culinary sector globally competitive: Tourism Minister

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno has said that he believes the performing arts and culinary sub-sectors of West Bandung district can compete on the international level.

He invited the performing arts and culinary sector players of West Bandung district to continue to innovate and collaborate to produce quality products amid the pandemic.

“Local potential must be enhanced to open jobs widely. Remember, the best business starts in times of crisis,” Uno remarked in a press statement received here on Friday.

At the District / City Creative Development Workshop (KaTa) in West Bandung on Thursday, Uno said the district has compelling performing arts such as the sasapian and jaipongan traditional dance.

Culinary products of note from the district include chocolate wajit (traditional cake), coffee-flavored chocolate, gurilemcrackers, and local pies, he added.

The Creative KaTa Development program has been organized in West Bandung district to increase the income of local creative economy business players and regional economic income, the minister informed.

The program also aims to boost the added value and competitiveness of creative economy products and encourage the creativity and innovation of business players, he said.

“We launch the Creative KaTa of West Bandung district in Lembang because we believe that West Bandung is the center of the nation’s best talents in the field of creative economy,” the minister added.

During Thursday’s workshop, Uno tasted a unique culinary product of West Bandung—chocolanjit, a chocolate bar that contains wajit. He also joined in a jaipong dance with the Mojang Priangan dancers.

Through the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, the government has continued to accelerate the recovery of the tourism sector and the creative economy, he said. To that end, the government has been promoting the ‘Proud Traveling Program in Indonesia’ or BWI, he added.

The government is also promoting the tagline #DiIndonesiaAja (Stay In Indonesia), hoping it will resonate with the public, he noted.

According to Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, tourism has declined 70 percent and trust in travel is low, therefore, tourism recovery must focus on domestic tourists, especially millennials.

Source: Antara News