Family-Friendly and Clean Culinary Centers Will Attract More Tourists: Ministry
Jakarta. The Ministry of Tourism has encouraged culinary centers at tourist destinations to display family-friendly labels at their establishments to attract more visitors.
The restaurants are encouraged to not only cater to Muslim customers but to also provide healthy food for non-Muslim tourists, Tendi Naim, a member of the ministry's special unit to promote the culinary and shopping industry, said on Wednesday (03/05).
Tendi, one of the owners of Bumbu Desa, an authentic Indonesian restaurant chain, gave the example of Semawis Market in Semarang, Central Java, as one of many areas known to serve a wide variety of delicious local delicacies.
However, he said the market lacked family-friendly labels.
"If they put the labels on their products and restaurants, I am sure that there will be more visitors coming to the market," he said.
He added that hygiene was another important aspect worth considering.
He said culinary centers are prone to getting dirty, especially with buckets of water used to clean dishes, which are often left on the floor.
"There must be no more buckets for washing dishes. Everything must be hygienic," Tendi said.
Arnaz Agung Andrasmara, head of the Semarang Chamber of Commerce, said he will also reform the Kota Lama area and other slum areas around it to revive Semawis Market as a culinary center.
Jalan Branjangan, an area known for cockfighting, will be transformed into a culinary center, similar to Semawis Market.
"The area is still shabby, dark, and unorganized. We are going to renovate the drainage system, add lighting, repair the paving and plant some trees," Arnaz said.
"If the initial attempt is successful, then it can be duplicated in other places around Kota Lama. If possible, the historical site of Kota Lama will also become the second-largest culinary site in Semarang," he said.
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