SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Indonesia and Palestine have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish bilateral cooperation in tourism development and promotion. The MoU was signed by Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno and Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Hani Naji Atallah Abdalmasih in Jakarta on Wednesday (9/4).

Minister Sandiaga highlighted the potential for collaboration between the two countries in the tourism sector, noting that Palestine boasts numerous religious tourism sites that are popular among Indonesian tourists.

‘Especially after the reopening of the Palestinian border for pilgrims who come from Indonesia, because in Palestine there are two religions, not only Islam, but Palestine also has sites for religious tourism from other religions. So, this will also be part of our cooperation,’ he explained.

Currently, the Minister continued, Palestinian tourist visits to Indonesia are still limited due to the situation in Palestine, but there is great potential in the development of the creative economy.

He also announced that the Palestinian Minister would visit Borobudur, the world's oldest Buddhist temple site, as part of this cooperation plan, which is expected to attract Palestinian tourists. Additionally, he mentioned that this cooperation encompasses various aspects, including information exchange, technology transfer, and student exchange programs.

In the meantime, Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Hani Naji Atallah Abdalmasih hopes that this cooperation will bring tourists from Indonesia to his country, reaching 100,000 people.

‘’We are aiming for 100,000 tourists from Indonesia to Palestine,’ said the Palestinian Minister of Tourism.