In the search for new technology to promote destinations in the face of intense competition, Indonesia is taking the Metaverse route.
Metaverse, for those unfamiliar with the technology, can include virtual reality as well as augmented reality that combines aspects of the digital and physical worlds.
Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and Magnus Digital Indonesia, an ad-tech marketing consultant, have developed WonderVerse Indonesia, a Metaverse technology channel that allows the promotion of Indonesia's tourism and creative economy in an interactive and digital way.
Apart from promoting Indonesian tourism to national and international levels, the purpose of the project is also to encourage the creative economy industry, especially tourism and creative economy players to be able to promote their products digitally on WonderVerse Indonesia.
Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno says, "We are currently in a transitioning period where digitalisation becomes the driving force behind transformation and new platforms that will boost tourism promotion.
“We are finding ways to accelerate technology development as Metaverse is a place where we can conduct activities interactively. This is a breakthrough that was accelerated and can be experienced because of the pandemic."
WonderVerse Indonesia can be accessed anywhere through the desktop site, and for future development, it can be extended to VR (Virtual Reality).
“This has increasingly opened opportunities for the tourism industry and the creative economy to reach the younger generation whenever and wherever they are,” said the minister.
WonderVerse Indonesia is divided into four parts called "lands".
Among the ‘lands’, WonderFun Land offers Indonesian digital traditional games and entertainment ranging from wayang shows, and traditional dances, to live streaming of concerts.
WonderGoods Land allows visitors to shop various local goods and merchandise marketed by Tourism and Creative Economy merchants, while WonderReal Land lets visitors directly purchase flight tickets, hotels, and accommodation in the top five destinations they want to go to for their holiday.