The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy had its first-ever virtual Aceh Culinary Festival (ACF), held online on the Aceh Food Apps, from the 27th to 29th of August.
Over 100 food entrepreneurs and SMEs are expected to attend and promote their products. Once logged in, attendees can explore a variety of Aceh’s iconic dishes. For visitors who live in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar Districts, they can also order various dishes from Aceh’s culinary best and delivered them directly to their homes.
Aceh has long been known for its eclectic selection of herbs and cuisines. From curry and martabak to pandan leaf fried chicken, the province offers something for everyone and represents Indonesia’s rich culinary diversity.
“This year’s Aceh Culinary Festival provides a totally different experience from previous years, as it is held virtually through Aceh Food Apps and Aceh Food Channel on YouTube,” said Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, during the opening remarks.
“With this virtual event, we are committed to recovering the economy that has been hit hard by the pandemic, while empowering new entrepreneurs and job opportunities.”
From food and beverages (F&B) entrepreneurs and SMEs, the event is targeting a transaction of over IDR 1 billion. The ACF has become a major culinary event that has significantly boosted Aceh’s tourism and culinary heritage for seven consecutive years.
Following robust growth in digital transactions in Indonesia, the government plans to ensure continued support and development of the event by supporting SME’s to digitise. This year the government has decided to go further by digitising the event itself.
Implementing a digital platform and app for the virtual event, the government has encouraged Aceh’s SMEs to be more confident in using technology to grow their business. In addition to the app, ACF also adopts new digital outreach channels, such as podcast, documentary video, and live streaming through Aceh’s local government (Dispudbar Aceh)’s YouTube channel.
To promote Aceh tourism, cultural and culinary heritage internationally, the local government has also unveiled a YouTube series named “Jejak Rasa Aceh”.
Driven by a vision to make Indonesia a world-class tourism destination, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy innovates various breakthroughs to continually grow the creative industry in Indonesia.
‘Kharisma Event Nusantara 2021’ is one of the government’s efforts to encourage the rise of the creative economy in Indonesia. This program is expected to help positively move the national economy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide direction for event participants on the implementation of the CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability) protocol.
Source: Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy
