THE PRACTICES OF INDONESIA’S ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY TO THE NETHERLANDS IN THE MEDIA OF TOURISM PROMOTION (2015 – 2018)

Abstract

Economic Diplomacy is one way for a country to achieve its national interests. Different interests, different tools to be used in order to pursue the economic goals. Each country has its own way and media to conduct economic diplomacy. In the first period of Joko Widodo – Jusuf Kalla administration, by considering the contributions of tourism sector to Indonesia’s economic development in terms of foreign exchange, GDP, employment field, and others, tourism sector has been crowned as one of the leading sectors to achieve national economic interests. This matter was warmly welcomed by the Kabinet Kerja I, proven by the development programs that are directed at international tourism marketing in Indonesia and the development of its destinations. According to the theories of neoliberalism, soft power and economic diplomacy, several findings in this research indicates that the Indonesian government uses tourism promotion in Netherlands as one of the media to conduct economic diplomacy. Furthermore, using the concept of phases of economic diplomacy, the practice economic diplomacy through tourism promotion activities in the Netherlands have been identified as being in the phase of Economic Networking and Advocacy and Image Building phase