The President of the Swiss Council of States visited Indonesia, in light of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA, including Switzerland) and Indonesia, which entered into force on November 1, 2021. The delegation visited Lombok for meetings with representatives from the Indonesian parliament, as well as with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN.
On November 2, which marked 70 years of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Indonesia, the Swiss delegation paid a visit to the office of the Governor of West Nusa Tenggara in Mataram to discuss the Swiss support to the government’s sustainable tourism development efforts particularly for Lombok Island with Dr. Ir. Hj. Sitti Rohmi Djalilah, M.Pd, Vice-Governor of NTB.
“I am glad that I am now in the same room with so many potentials, namely the young students who are developing their vocational skills of hospitality. They are the main actors in supporting economic growth in Indonesia.”
Alex Kuprecht, President of the Swiss Council of States
Visit Politeknik Pariwisata Lombok (PPL)
The PPL was established in 2016. Annually, the polytechnic school enrolls approximately 300 new students for Travel Management, Culinary Arts, Food and Beverages Services and Rooms Divisions. It is the latest institution amongst the six national tourism polytechnics supervised by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia (MTCE). The STED project applies a demand-driven approach collaborating closely with the private sector and ensures that graduates meet the standards required by the tourism industry. This will improve employability and ultimately contribute to a more competitive Indonesian economy.
The President of the Swiss Council of States took the chance to see the PPL and the STED project activities. The visit allowed the Swiss delegation to get a tour of the Polytechnic and an update of project implementation and discuss priorities moving forward. The management, teachers and students were welcoming the entourage to the Amphitheater. The Delegation spent some time to see cooking and decorating activities by students of the Culinary Arts department in the Stadium Kitchen. Students of the Food and Beverage Service department had the pleasure to serve a Middle Eastern-themed set lunch for the delegation. The next stop was the newly built Edu Hotel where students of the Rooms Division are trained.
The Governor of West Nusa Tenggara bid farewell to the delegation at Lombok International Airport where Alex Kuprecht and the entourage departed to Jakarta. The visit left the PPL management, the students and the STED project with a strong motivation to continue the good work.