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Indonesia to host big concerts to lure tourists, Luhut says
Not to be outdone by Singapore's hosting of Taylor Swift, which has boosted hotel bookings and other revenue in the city state, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan announced that Indonesia would also organize large concerts to boost tourism.
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Taylor Swift fans pose for a photo on March 2, 2024, at the National Stadium during Swift's Eras Tour concert in Singapore.
(Reuters/Caroline Chia)
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ot to be outdone by Singapore's hosting of global pop music sensation Taylor Swift, which has boosted hotel bookings and other revenues in the city-state, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan announced that Indonesia will also organize large concerts to boost tourism.
"Pak Odo [Odo Manuhutu] told me last week that no one could go to Singapore as all of the hotels were fully booked for nine days because of Taylor Swift’s concerts there. Why? Because in Indonesia, there’s no such show," Luhut said.
Singapore has hosted numerous mega-scale events since the end of the coronavirus pandemic, including the Formula 1 Grand Prix, which is currently in its fourth term, with the contract set to end in 2028. Additionally, British band Coldplay recently sold out tickets for six nights in Singapore, as did Taylor Swift, with the 13-time Grammy winner making Singapore her only stop in Southeast Asia.
Luhut said he had held meetings with relevant stakeholders and indicated that Indonesia would host mega concerts in the next six months.
The senior minister said he would embrace various individuals who were familiar with the entertainment world, especially those who could bring international artists to the country.
Luhut stressed that Indonesia needed to be able to compete with Singapore, especially in tourism.
“What Singapore has done we can also do. We need to be able to compete. If Singapore can make lots of profits, why can’t we? Are we lacking intelligence? We are great people,” he said.
