For three days (September 27-29, 2022), Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Universitas Jenderal Soedirman successfully held the Academia-Based Tourism Revival (ABTR) International Conference. ABTR was conducted online using Zoom Meeting and was attended by more than 300 participants from local, national, and international levels. This conference was motivated by the desire to revive the tourism sector, which had been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This international conference was also a collaborative conference organized by more than one institution, namely Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, Fakultas Bahasa Asing Universitas Mahasaraswati, Mei Fah Luang University, Thailand, and Nippon Academy, Japan. Additionally, this conference invited several keynote speakers: Lyndell Dean Backues, Ph.D. (Eastern University, USA), Prof. Hirose, Eishi (Shizuoka University of Art and Culture, Japan), Sulaiman Shehdek (Visit Indonesia Tourism Office, Singapore), Dr. Pancahrle Thongpanich (School of Liberal Arts, Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand), I Ketut Arka, S.S., M.A.P. (Indonesia Guide Association of Bali Province, Indonesia), Prof. Chen Shuangxin (Hebei University, China), Dr. Lynda Susana Widya Ayu Fatmawaty S.S., M.Hum. (Jenderal Soedirman University, Indonesia), and Dian Ediono (Garuda Indonesia).
In addition to the keynote speakers, the conference was also opened by Unsoed Rector, Prof. Dr. Ir. Akhmad Sodiq, M.Sc.Agr. Furthermore, a representative from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Muhammad Neil El Himam, who serves as Deputy of Digital Economy and Creative Products, also delivered an opening remarks at this event. At the end of the conference, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahudin Uno, sent greetings to ABTR through a video message. Muhamad Ahsanu, Ph.D., chair of the ABTR 2022 organizing committee, hopes that this conference will have a positive impact on Indonesia’s tourism sector and can continue in the years to come.