London (Antara Bali) - Tourism and Creative Minister Mari Elka Pangestu has told a discussion that Indonesia's creative economy served as a motor for its economic growth and as an effective and strategic means of soft diplomacy, an embassy official said.
Third Secretary on Social and Cultural Affairs of the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin Purno Widodo told ANTARA here on Sunday that the minister was speaking to the a discussion in Berlin on Indonesian Creative Economy as a Motor for Its Economic Growth.
"The tourism sector and creative economy are inseparable part of the Indonesian soft diplomacy," Minister Mari was quoted by Purnomo as saying.
One of the particularities offered by the Indonesian creative economy was the utilization of local knowledge and heritage of the Indonesian people which were coupled with technology to produce highly valuable new products such as films, musics, fashion, handicraft, designs, architectures, arts and culinary products.
The creative economic sector was able to contribute 7.2 percent to the total economic growth and to absorb 6 percent of the workforce in 2011, the minister was quoted as saying.(IGT)
