Jakarta (Antara) - Good human resources are the key to success in facing the Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said. "The question is how we prepare ourselves for the AEC in 2015. The key to the success rests with the quality of human resources," she said here on Monday. She claimed that the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry had long prepared a wide range of programs to face AEC. Citing an example, she said the ministry certified a total of 58,627 tourism workers employed in hotels, restaurants, spas, travel bureaus, among others, between 2007 and 2013. "This refers to the implementation of Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on Tourism Professionals which has agreed to 32 standard professions in the tourism sector," she siad. In addition, she said the ministry also had implemented a number of capacity building programs for those employed in the creative industry and facilitated a business incubator program to produce creative entrepreneurs in the face of global market. Many young creative entrepreneurs were able to compete with foreign rivals in the global market, including the ASEAN market after taking part in the business incubator program, she said. "Many of the young entrepreneurs work in the fields of fashion ( designers), and digital content, including online game,animation and software," she said. Among the successful entrepreneurs are Tex Saverio, Toton Januar, Vinora Ng, Novita Yunus (bag designers), Liana Gunawan (shoe designer), Nanida Jenahara Nasution (Muslim cloth desinger), Dread Out (online game), Binekon (digital animation), and Kuasa (software). "The pillar of the creative economy is creative economy agents themselves. The government only encourages creative entrepreneurs to be able to compete in the global market," she said. ASEAN leaders have agreed to launch the grouping¿s much-awaited economic community on Dec. 31, 2015, providing ample time for member states to further prepare themselves ahead of the single integrated market. (*)
