Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, has said that the friendly match between Indonesia and Argentina at the upcoming FIFA Match Day in June 2023 would be a draw for domestic tourists.
"We have not calculated it yet, but we anticipate that the movement of domestic tourists will be very high because of the enormous interest of football fans in the match," he said in Jakarta on Monday.
He said that the government's target of 1.4 billion domestic tourist movements this year would be bolstered by sports tourism, including the match between the Indonesian and Argentine national football teams.
Previously, the General Chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), Erick Thohir, announced that Indonesia would play a friendly match against Argentina at FIFA Match Day in June. "Argentina will be here in Indonesia to contribute to Indonesia's football development; this is a form of friendship between our two countries," he said at the press conference on Wednesday (May 24).
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According to Thohir, Indonesia will also take on the Palestinian team, currently ranked 93rd in the FIFA men's ranking, during FIFA Match Day on a different date. The Indonesian team will face its Argentine counterpart on June 19 at Gelora Bung Karno, he said. "This is a huge moment for Indonesia's football to maintain its momentum of growth," he added.
Friendly football match with Argentina to help boost tourism
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, speaks to reporters at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on May 29, 2023. (ANTARA/Desca Lidya Natalia/nbl)
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, speaks to reporters at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on May 29, 2023. (ANTARA/Desca Lidya Natalia/nbl)