Tangerang – Kepulauan Bangka Belitung (Babel) province is showcasing its tourism charm in the Wonderful Indonesia Tourism Fair (WITF) 2025 at Nusantara International Convention Exhibition (NICE) PIK II, Tangerang – Banten, from October 9–12 in an effort to expand the market and attract both domestic and international tourists.
The provincial Head of the Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports Office (Disparbudkepora), Wydia Kemala Sari, explained that the event was organized by the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) and supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia.
"WITF is a strategic momentum to bring together the tourism industry and potential buyers from abroad. Around 200 buyers from various countries and 250 sellers from the national tourism industry participated in this year’s WITF," explained Wydia after attending the opening ceremony on Friday (10/10/2025).
In addition to featuring a Business to Business (B2B) tradeshow, this event is also enlivened by a consumer show displaying a variety of products of tourism, creative economy, as well as leading SMEs from various regions in Indonesia.
"Bangka Belitung is one of the exhibitors in the B2B tradeshow, having business-matching agenda with international and national buyers. This is a golden opportunity to expand networks, explore potential collaborations, and strengthen its position on both the national and international levels," she added.
Babel showcased its potency in a promotional booth by the Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports office together with the Technical Implementation Unit for Belitung Tourism Development. It also collaborated with tourism businesses, travel agents, and hotels in the province to interact directly with prospective partners from various countries.
The opening ceremony was attended by ministry officials, industry players, and representatives from various regions. In the speech, the organizers emphasized the importance of collaboration and innovation in strengthening Indonesia's tourism competitiveness on the global stage.
“Through this fair, we want to show that Babel is ready to be a leading tourist destination that is friendly, competitive, and sustainable, as well as open to international cooperation,” said Wydia optimistically.
The fair was officially opened by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, accompanied by Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana.
Widiyanti visited Babel’s booth and was welcomed by Wydia. "Thank you for your visit, Madam Minister," said Wydia while presenting a typical Babel souvenir.
Up until the closing on Sunday (12/10/2025), several prospective partners, either local or international, had visited or held meetings with Babel. These included China, Pakistan, Australia, the USA, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, France, Nigeria, the UK, Algeria, Oman, and Bhutan.
