National Tourism Observer and retired lecturer from the Master’s Program in Tourism Planning, SAPPK ITB, as well as Advisory Board Member for the program, Dr. Myra Puspasari Gunawan, S.T., M.T., was the speaker at the seminar. She discussed a material entitled "The Future of National Tourism: Sustainability and Readiness".

Dr. Myra began her presentation about tourism platforms by Jafar Jafari. She discussed various aspects, such as the economic benefits of tourism, warnings about environmental, economic, social risks posed by tourism, and adaptation through alternative tourism to support SMEs and large-scale development.

According to the Travel & Tourism Development Index data from the World Economic Forum, Indonesia ranks 8th in the Asia Pacific region. In fact, Forbes places Indonesia in the first position in the category of The Most Beautiful Country in the World.

Regarding this, Dr. Myra asked a question regarding the future of Indonesian tourism, "Will tourism remain a leading sector? To what extent can the lessons learned from the experiences of the last 50 years be applied?”

She emphasized that the success or failure of tourism depends largely on political and administrative actions, not just on economic or business skills.

Additionally, she highlighted the progress in tourism development as a function of advancements in other sectors. Dr. Myra also linked tourism development with Indonesia's vision and mission 2045, which includes social, economic transformation, governance, rule of law, stability, and diplomatic resilience.

In the context of Indonesian tourism in 2045, it is important to implement a shift from boosterism to knowledge-based. Tourism human resources are considered the key, with an emphasis on hospitality, research, studies, and tourism education.

She mentioned the need to change perspectives regarding destination priorities, development strategies, as well as community involvement while still taking into account environmental sustainability and cultural advancement.

Reporter: Hafsah Restu Nurul Annafi (Urban and Regional Planning, 2019)
Translator: Ayesha Lativa Mafaza (Postharvest Technology 2021)
Editor: Sherina Wijaya (Geological Engineering, 2019)