"Invented in 2021, AKI has been presented as a manifestation of the government's support for local MSMEs, particularly those wielding the potential to penetrate the global market," he said in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Thursday.
Speaking at the opening of the 2024 AKI Exhibition, he expressed the hope that the implementation of the program would help Indonesia achieve its goal of boosting the value of its creative product exports to US$28 billion this year.
Uno then highlighted that MSMEs operating in Labuan Bajo have huge business opportunities as the region has emerged as one of Indonesia's most popular tourism destinations, besides Bali.
The minister expressed optimism that the international flight route connecting Kuala Lumpur with Labuan Bajo, which is planned to open on September 3, would lead to an increase in the foreign tourist count, and thereby, affect local MSMEs in a positive way.
He then said that the mentoring and training programs offered by the government have helped several MSMEs increase sales by up to sevenfold.
"However, it is true that some other MSMEs are still struggling. Hence, the NTT provincial government and West Manggarai district government need to implement MSME empowerment programs. The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is ready to assist," he added.
Furthermore, Uno encouraged MSME players in Labuan Bajo to continue to innovate and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs and local governments to take their businesses to the next level.
He also urged MSMEs to apply his ministry's "3G" tagline, namely gercep, or move quickly; geber, or move together; and gaspol, or go full throttle, to expand their market reach overseas.
