JAKARTA – The Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT), Yandri Susanto, encouraged the development of rural potential across Lampung Province through integrated tourism villages (Desa Wisata). The concept blends natural landscapes with local culinary offerings, accommodations, transport links, internet connectivity, and attractive public spaces. The initiative aims to optimize natural assets while simultaneously highlighting agricultural commodities—such as pineapples, cassava, and bananas—to drive rural economic growth.

"For Lampung, tourism villages must move beyond relying solely on raw natural scenery. They need an integrated setup comprising local gastronomy, scenic photo spots, accommodations, and free Wi-Fi so that visitors return and recommend the destination to others. We cannot depend on natural landscapes alone," Minister Yandri stated while accompanied by Deputy Minister Ahmad Riza Patria during an audience with the Governor of Lampung, Rahmat Mirzani Djausal, at the Kemendes PDT headquarters in Jakarta on Wednesday (September 16, 2026).

This integrated tourism model directly aligns with the establishment of Thematic Villages (Desa Tematik), a key component of the "12 Actions to Build Villages, Build Indonesia" framework. Furthermore, these rural development initiatives aim to build human resource capacity, including dispatching rural youth to Japan for work-study programs.

Selected and trained rural youth will be sent to Japan to gain professional experience and education before returning home to apply their knowledge locally. Minister Yandri emphasized that realizing these goals requires broad multi-stakeholder collaboration beyond Kemendes PDT, involving regional governments, local departments, and local communities.

"Without active backing from regional governments, local agencies, and village heads, these development efforts cannot succeed," Minister Yandri added.

Governor of Lampung Rahmat Mirzani Djausal welcomed the initiative, expressing optimism that rural areas across Lampung will thrive through this partnership. He affirmed Lampung's readiness to bolster the national economy by engaging local communities to process and monetize regional assets.

"We are confident that Kemendes PDT's flagship programs will synergize seamlessly with provincial initiatives across Lampung's villages. With a dedicated focus on rural growth, village-level economic development will serve as a primary engine for broader economic momentum," Governor Rahmat stated.

Lampung holds substantial economic potential across agriculture, plantations, marine sectors, coastal tourism, natural landscapes, and mining. Additionally, its strategic geographical positioning provides seamless connectivity to key regional transport networks.

Foto: Mugi/Kemendes PDT 
Teks: Ria/Kemendes PDT