The development and marketing of all tourism villages in Indonesia should be maximized. In view of the fact that Indonesian tourism villages have more value that can attract attention and increase the number of domestic and foreign tourist visits.

Not only do they offer fascinating natural beauty, but almost all tourism villages in Indonesia are rich in tradition, culture, and cuisine that can be a tourist attraction. Therefore, tourism villages have great potential for promoting Indonesia. Interestingly, tourism villages have become popular destinations after the pandemic, with an estimated 44% of tourists choosing to travel to tourism villages following the COVID-19 pandemic.

To ensure that the potential of tourism villages in Indonesia is increasingly recognized by all domestic and foreign tourists, the right promotion strategy is needed. The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Menparekraf/Kabaparekraf) Sandiaga Uno emphasized that four things must be prepared by all tourism village managers in marketing tourism destinations and the creative economy to tourists.

Important Pillars of Promoting Tourism Villages in Indonesia

Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno explained that the four pillars needed to promote tourism villages are 4P: Product, Place, Price, and Promotion. So, how does 4P apply to promote tourism villages? 

First, the products offered by each tourism village must be of good quality. In other words, the product must be authentic and lead to quality and sustainable tourism. The aim is to add value to the tourism village and create an unforgettable travel experience.

Photo: The beauty of Ratenggaro Tourism Village in Sumba, which is becoming an attraction (Shutterstock/MawardiBahar)

The second pillar is Place. Each tourism village must have an extraordinary attraction. It means every tourism village must possess strong characteristics or unique features. At least, each tourism village should have a concept and characteristics that can be easily remembered by tourists.

Meanwhile, the Price pillar intended for the promotion of tourism villages refers to the needs or purchasing power of tourists. In simple terms, tourism actors must be able to set the right price so that tourists will be interested in buying creative economic products from tourism villages, such as souvenirs.

The pricing of products is also one of the most important elements. If prices are too high, tourists may only visit and look around without making a purchase. As a result, there will be no transactions that provide economic benefits to the local community.

Another important pillar in the marketing of a tourism village that must be implemented is Promotion. In this case, tourism actors must be able to use social media as a free promotion tool. We can create interesting content through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok. 

Approaching Social Media Day on June 10, Sobat Parekraf can also create educational content related to the potential of outstanding tourism villages in their respective regions. Such as attractiveness in terms of natural beauty, preserved culture, as well as different dishes or culinary specialties that can be experienced in each tourism village.

Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno suggested that all tourism villages must collaborate with many parties. One of them is with influencers, who can tell the advantages and attractions of tourism villages. So, they can invite many people to come to the tourism village. 

By applying the 4 pillars of marketing, it is hoped that the potential of tourism villages in Indonesia can attract more domestic and foreign tourists. So that it can realize the target of 8.5 million foreign tourist visits, 1.4 billion domestic tourist movements, and most importantly open 4.4 million new jobs by 2024.

Cover: Tortor dance performance in Samosir (Shutterstock/raditya)