Indonesian Parliament Revises Tourism Law to Boost Sector
Indonesian lawmakers are seeking to refine the country’s tourism regulations, which have become increasingly necessary as the industry faces numerous challenges and opportunities for growth. The House of Representatives’ Commission VII recently held discussions to gather input from various stakeholders on the proposed revisions to Law Number 10 of 2009 on Tourism.
According to reports from ANTARA, the parliamentary committee organized this session at the Trans Luxury Hotel in Bandung, West Java, inviting participants ranging from government officials at provincial and city levels to representatives from tourism associations, entrepreneurs, and academia. This dialogue is part of the broader effort to amend the existing tourism law to adapt to current needs and improve Indonesia's tourism offerings.
Lamhot Sinaga, Deputy Chair of Commission VII, emphasized the importance of this dialogue, stating, “Please convey the issues you face and suggestions for the law we are discussing for the progress of tourism in Indonesia.”
During these discussions, several concerns were raised. For example, the Secretary of the West Java Tourism and Culture Office, Ani Widiani, questioned the necessity of utilizing official decrees for implementing tourist destination management. She suggested for the law to clarify the crisis management mechanisms for tourism spots, especially since West Java is prone to natural disasters. “It is mentioned in Article 11, point 5, where the tourism destination manager is designated by the central and local governments. We seek clarification on whether this requires official decrees. Also, there should be focus on crisis management because West Java is susceptible to disasters,” Ani noted.
Among those contributing insights were also city officials like Arief Syaifudin, head of the Bandung Tourism Office. He pointed out potential shortcomings of the law concerning tourist villages, proposing to modify terms to accommodate urban settings. “We, the City of Bandung, do not have villages; if that's the case, we cannot participate. Fortunately, we already have tourist villages and thematic villages. Therefore, these adjustments could cater to city levels as well,” he stated.
Representatives from tourism associations echoed similar calls for enhanced regulations, including the need for certification programs for various roles within the tourism sector such as tour guides and hospitality staff. Academic voices from institutions like ITB, Unpad, and UPI also stressed the importance of integrating sustainable and eco-friendly tourism practices.
Business stakeholders raised points about increasing access to funding and improving the skills of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in tourism, alongside discussions around the need for improved infrastructure to key tourist sites.
Echoing these sentiments, member of Parliament Tifatul Sembiring expressed the committee's intent to absorb these varied inputs, recognizing Bandung as a tourist hotspot with annual visitor numbers hitting around 6.5 million. “We want to capture the primary issues raised by all stakeholders, including heads of tourism departments from both provincial and city levels,” Sembiring remarked.
He underscored the significant potential for increased local revenue through tourism, highlighting the direct economic benefits from visitors. “If people come, they bring money, and hotels fill up, which has been indicated with occupancy rates above 60-70 percent,” he explained.
Tifatul outlined the comprehensive strategy involved, where regulations would encompass not only tourism management but also infrastructure development aimed at making travel to tourist destinations more efficient. This would involve examining transportation facilities such as the revitalization of airports which serve regions popular with tourists.
With such fervent involvement from various sectors, the review process of the tourism law is anticipated to produce regulations reflective of industry needs and capable of bolstering Indonesia’s travel sector. The discussions held are expected to feed directly back to the drafting of the new law, set to be one of the significant reforms aimed at transforming the tourism industry.
The commitment from lawmakers to engage with diverse actors within the tourism sphere indicates a positive shift toward more inclusive and responsive governance, aimed at creating sustainable growth within the nation's tourism sector.