WAMENA, Indonesia — The Papua Highlands Provincial Government, through its Tourism and Creative Economy Office, is continuing efforts to strengthen the region’s creative economy sector, with around 300 creative economy entrepreneurs currently recorded across eight regencies.
Acting Head of the Papua Highlands Tourism and Creative Economy Office, Hulu Bahabol, said data collection on creative economy entrepreneurs was still underway.
“According to the information received from the relevant division, the number of creative economy entrepreneurs recorded so far is 300 across the Papua Highlands region,” he said in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, on Friday.
Bahabol explained that the entrepreneurs operate in a wide range of business sectors. One of the sectors showing growth is coffee processing, with local communities developing coffee beans into products with greater economic value and market potential.
“Among the many types of businesses run by creative economy entrepreneurs, one of them is coffee. Communities in the eight regencies are now able to process coffee beans into products that have market value, using coffee beans produced in their respective local areas,” he said.
To further support the development of these businesses, the Papua Highlands Provincial Government has prepared business capital assistance in 2026 for 50 groups or creative economy entrepreneurs from the region’s eight regencies.
“We have prepared the budget, and then the Governor will directly provide business capital assistance to 50 groups or creative economy entrepreneurs from the eight regencies,” Bahabol said.
However, the amount of assistance for each group has not yet been determined. The provincial government is still awaiting direction and instructions from Papua Highlands Governor John Tabo regarding the value of the assistance.
“We have not yet determined the amount of funding for each group or creative economy entrepreneur. We are still waiting for direction and instructions from the Governor. The assistance may be provided this month or in September 2026,” he said.
Bahabol added that in 2026, the Papua Highlands Tourism and Creative Economy Office is managing approximately Rp4 billion (around US$240,000) in special autonomy (Otsus) funds.
The allocation is among the provincial government’s efforts to support tourism and creative economy development programs across the Papua Highlands.
