Jakarta, April 15 -- Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, has said that the tourism sector can serve as an engine of economic growth, poverty reduction, and job creation amid current global uncertainty.

As per government data, in 2024, Indonesia welcomed more than 13 million foreign tourists. The tourism sector also created jobs for nearly 25 million workers and contributed US$16.7 billion to the country's foreign exchange coffers.

"It is time for us to hold a meeting on tourism that can reduce the impact of global uncertainty," Hartarto said at the 37th Joint Commission Meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and the UN Tourism Commission for South Asia here on Tuesday.

"We can eas...