Traveloka and Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia and UNDP Support Marine Ecotourism in Indonesia through Archipelagic and Island States Startup & Business Summit (AIS SBS) 2019

Jakarta, 1 November 2019 - The increased awareness of the industry players, especially in the tourism sector, towards ecotourism has drove Traveloka, the leading digital travel and lifestyle experiences booking platform in Southeast Asia, to officiate a strategic partnership with the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in boosting ecotourism as a step to preserve the tourism industry in the country. This strategic partnership is a concrete manifestation of plenty discussion sessions between two parties that have been conducted since the beginning of this year, with the result of Archipelagic and Island States Startup & Business Summit (AIS SBS) 2019 event, a 3-day event that was held in Manado, North Sulawesi, from October 30 to November 1 2019.

Sufintri Rahayu, Public Relations of Traveloka, stated, "We are proud to have the opportunity to support the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs and UNDP for AIS SBS 2019 event. As a company focused on the tourism sector, it has been our mission to preserve tourism destinations. In addition, Indonesia is an archipelagic country with renowned marine tourism which is often visited by travelers, including Traveloka users from Indonesia or other countries, hence, supporting this event is in line with our mission.”

"We believe this initiative could help the stakeholders from various countries who attended the event in Manado to observe how Indonesia manages the marine tourism and not only enticing foreign tourists to visit the country, but also boosting their awareness on the importance of marine ecotourism, which we hope could contribute to the country's foreign exchange,” added Sufintri.

In regards to AIS SBS 2019, Odo RM Manuhutu, Deputy Assistant for Navigation and Maritime Safety, said, "AIS SBS is a place where Indonesia can urge other archipelagic countries in the Asia Pacific to support the sustainable ecotourism. This year, we focus on ecotourism with the aim to accommodate the opportunities in Indonesia’s marine tourism sector."

"With the synergy between the government and Traveloka as Southeast Asia’s largest player in the tourism sector, we are confident that this collaboration will improve the marine tourism preservation progress in Indonesia. We are proud to partner with Traveloka to bring this event to life,” Odo added.

During AIS SBS 2019, Traveloka has also had the opportunity to share the company’s expertise on digital transformation in the Indonesian tourism sector. In addition, Traveloka also enabled the event participants to obtain information related to the exciting attractions and interesting tourism destinations around Manado as well as in Indonesia. The participants were also able to have a fun activity together with other participants by participating in various games available at Traveloka’s booth.

“Our support towards AIS SBS 2019 is a part of our commitment to complement the users’ travel and lifestyle needs. We hope that the participants can also have a pleasant experience during the event and enjoy their time in Indonesia by utilizing Traveloka that enables them to have an easy, comfortable, and memorable trip," concluded Sufintri.