Association Shifts Focus to Develop Tourism Villages in Aceh

The Association of Indonesian Tourism Stakeholders, or ASPPI, is putting more focus on the development of tourism villages in Aceh in an effort to woo more tourists to the province.

Council member of ASPPI Aceh Azwani Awi said improving and expanding tourism villages are part of the association’s work plan for 2019-2023 period, and it targets to assist and mentor at least one tourism village per year.

“We continue to encourage the development of tourism villages to enrich destination options in Aceh,” Awi said on Monday, February 28, as reported by Antara.

With more options and places for domestic and international tourists to visit, ASPPI is optimistic that the work to promote Aceh tourism will become easier. And subsequently, locals can also reap benefits from the growing industry.

“Tourism creates many economic impacts for locals,” Awi added.

Local residents are expected to take advantage from opportunities in creative economy that will flourish as stakeholders accelerate tourism revival.

Travel packages, for example, can be varied as more tourism villages are born in Aceh.

“We expect the program to succeed, so that more tourists will come to Aceh, and tourism industry will rebound post COVID-19 pandemic,” he concluded.