The Mission

The Forum for International Tourism and the Environment is to raise

awareness on the importance of sustainable tourism development. Based
on a partnership between the Institut Français, the Embassy of France to
Indonesia and the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism with support from The
George Washington University, we aim to work with students and tourism
stakeholders around the world, in order to support the knowledge,
commitment and skills needed in Indonesia for resilient communities, ready
to address the challenges of 21st Century tourism growth.
Tourism is one of the fastest expanding
economic sectors in the world, and one
of the most obvious engines of mobility
and intercultural exchange. As a major
source of income for countries around
the world, tourism has the potential to
drive regional and local economies;
however, if unchecked, it can also
create massive and irreversible human,
cultural and ecological damage; social
dislocation through the shift of values
and interests it imposes on
communities; degradation and
devaluation of cultural heritage;
economic dependence and loss of
indigenous knowledge and diverse
skills; and ecological destruction.
The Forum is a space for discussion
and public debate, where students
are the Forum is a space for
discussion and public debate, where
students are encouraged to become
aware of the positive contribution
they can make to solve these issues,
and be pro-active to become agents
of positive change. It is also the
starting point of an annual
competition and conference that
encourages students to think of the
best sustainable practices in tourism
development. Winners of the
competition are then awarded
tourism study tours in France.
 2019 FITE TOPIC
CAN INDONESIA’S MARITIME
IDENTITY SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT?
In 2019, in partnership with the
United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural
Organization, the FITE calls on the
Indonesian and international
student community to consider the
multiple factors that have
contributed in the past, and still
contribute in the present,
to Indonesia’s maritime identity.
The objective is to highlight the
maritime identity as a meaningful
and powerful unifier in
contemporary Indonesia.
The Indonesian archipelago, in its
diversity and variety, is home to over
54 000 km of coastline, to some of the
richest fishing areas in the world, to
coral reefs with the highest levels of
biodiversity, and to active and historical
trade-routes, along which one can trace
centuries of interaction between
cultures, religions and languages.
Indonesia’s strong maritime identity can
strengthen its attraction as a tourism
destination; it can also be used to
highlight and preserve the value of its
natural and cultural heritage.
The theme of the competition therefore
addresses multiple dimensions of
Indonesia’s assets as a tourism
destination: ecological, cultural,
historical, economic.
HOW TO ENTER
THE ONLINE
COMPETITION?
In a FOUR-MINUTE original
video, use one or more
examples to illustrate
Indonesia’s maritime
identity and explain how
that identity could be
developed to support a
“maritime cultural route” in
Indonesia.
01 Develop your argument on the
topic question
"Can Indonesia’s maritime
identity support sustainable
DEVELOP tourism development?"
YOUR Discuss it with your professors,
ARGUMENT family and friends, on
Facebook, etc.
 02
PRODUCE
THE VIDEO
Videos may be
recorded on any
recording device
including phones,
laptops and cameras
03
SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
VIDEOS DUE MARCH 15TH!
 AWARDS
INVITATION TO THE FITE CONFERENCE IN MAKASSAR
The winning students from the online competition will be invited to the FITE
International Student Conference, where they will present their videos and
arguments to industry professionals, academics, and researchers in the field of
cultural tourism development.
 The best Indonesian students, selected on the merit of
their participation in the competition and the leadership
they showed during the conference, will be awarded
study tours to France
 The best Indonesian students, selected on the merit of
their participation in the competition and the leadership
they showed during the conference, will be awarded
study tours to France
See you in Makassar