Surakarta, an Indonesian city at the intersection between busy Yogyakarta and East Java, has long been a popular tourist spot. Tourism has historically contributed more than 25 percent of the city’s GDP. COVID-19 put an end to Surakata’s rapid tourism growth, but now it’s recovering it’s looking to sustainability.
In 2020, Indonesia experienced a decline in the number of foreign tourists of 75 percent, and 30 percent for domestic tourists, impacting some 34 million Indonesians who depend on the tourism sector and the creative industry for their income.
As the tourists return to Surakarta, researchers have built a framework to help the city sustainably grow.
