Indonesia positions SEABEF 2025 as ASEAN hub for sustainable MICE industry🌏
Jakarta eyes deeper regional collaboration to drive tourism recovery and inclusive growth
Banten, Indonesia — 🇮🇩 Indonesia hosted the Southeast Asia Business Events Forum (SEABEF) and Wonderful Indonesia Tourism Fair (WITF) 2025 at the Nusantara International Convention and Exhibition (NICE) in PIK 2, Banten, from October 10–11.
The twin events spotlighted Southeast Asia’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) industry as a driver for tourism, investment, and sustainable growth.
The Main Takeaway 🎯
✅ Indonesia launched SEABEF 2025 as a regional forum to strengthen ASEAN’s position in the global MICE landscape through sustainability, strategic investment, and collaborative innovation.
💬 Minister of Tourism Widyanti Putri Wardhana and Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto opened the event, underscoring the government’s commitment to transform business events into an engine of inclusive economic growth.
✅ The forum gathered MICE leaders, policymakers, and innovators from across Southeast Asia, led by keynote speaker Garry Grimmer (Executive Chairman, GainingEdge), who highlighted Indonesia’s strategic role in shaping the future of the regional events industry.
💬 Key panels tackled issues from financing and IP development to digital transformation, visa facilitation, and workforce skills, positioning MICE as a catalyst for jobs, MSME growth, and sustainable cultural promotion. 🌏💼
Why It’s on Our Radar 🔎
🏨 Tourism rebound — Indonesia targets 14–16 million foreign visitors in 2025, after recording 10.04 million arrivals by August this year. ✈️
💰 Economic multiplier — Through the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) program, government-supported events in 2025 have generated Rp 11.82 trillion in turnover, engaged 14,800 MSMEs, and created 95,000 event-related jobs. 💼
🌿 Sustainability shift — Discussions centered on embedding sustainability standards into the event ecosystem, from waste reduction and digitalization to inclusive participation of local communities and persons with disabilities. 🤝
What’s at Stake ⚖️
📉 Infrastructure and connectivity — Limited international routes and high logistics costs still constrain large-scale event competitiveness. ✈️
🧩 Regulatory coherence — Fragmented policies and slow bureaucratic reform hinder integration across ministries and ASEAN states. 🏛️
💼 Talent and professionalism — The need for standardized certification and industry-wide competency benchmarks remains a key challenge for regional MICE growth. 🌏
The Big Picture 📸
✅ Indonesia’s tourism sector has steadily climbed global rankings — from #32 to #22 on the Travel & Tourism Development Index between 2023 and 2024. 🌍
💬 The government’s Tourism 5.0 initiative aims to fuse AI, digitalization, and sustainability, turning events into platforms that showcase Indonesian creativity and cultural identity — fully conceptualized and managed by Indonesians. 💡🇮🇩
🌺 Minister Widyanti emphasized that “events are more than spectacles — they are catalysts for community empowerment, job creation, and national branding.” 🌿✨
Regional Stakes 🌐
🫱🏼🫲🏾 ASEAN collaboration — SEABEF 2025 calls for harmonized visa policies, mutual recognition of event professionals, and co-hosted regional showcases to boost cross-border event mobility. ✈️
🌏 Sustainable competitiveness — With global investors prioritizing green and inclusive venues, ASEAN nations see MICE as a pathway to climate-resilient economic recovery. 🌿💼
📈 Investment magnet — From bleisure (business-leisure) tourism packages to integrated venues across Bali, Batam, and Makassar, Southeast Asia is marketing itself as a unified MICE corridor — blending culture, commerce, and climate responsibility. 🌺🤝
Beyond the Headlines 📰
📅 Event Dates: October 10–11, 2025
🏛️ Venue: NICE PIK 2 – Banten, Indonesia
🎙️ Keynote: Garry Grimmer, Executive Chairman, GainingEdge
💬 Top Speakers:
• Nia Niscaya — Senior Principal Expert, Tourism & Creative Economy
• Vinsensius Jemadu — Deputy Minister for Event Development
• Herfan Brilianto Mursabdo — Assistant Deputy for Tourism Development
• Bambang Tri Cahyono — Ministry of Immigration (Visa Policy)
• Muh Ardila Amry — Greater Jakarta Police (Security & Event Ecosystem)
🌐 Indonesia’s MICE Strategy:
Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN)
Tourism 5.0 Digitalization
Tourism Movement
Indonesian IP–based Events
Inclusive & Sustainable Event Standards
(CCL/ZAA/QOB)