Jakarta's Steps to Make Seribu Islands as a Destination for Digital Nomads

The Jakarta administration is taking various steps to strengthen infrastructure in Seribu Islands as a Digital Nomad Island or a location for the activities of digital economy actors to support their work.

We prompt internet providers to share connectivity

Bidadari Island became the pilot project of the Digital Nomad Island concept which was launched by the Jakarta Governor on May 24, 2022, and became a series for Jakarta's 495th Anniversary.

The Digital Nomad Island concept supports the Work from Anywhere (WFA) trend. The administration has also mapped the needs of digital workers who can work from anywhere (digital nomads) to support their activities.

Bidadari Island, a Perfect Place for Work and Vacation

"Talk about connectivity in the development of Digital Nomad Island, we prompt internet providers to share connectivity. JakWiFi points will also be expanded to strengthen its network that is already available on the island," expressed Jakarta Communication, Informatic, and Statistic Agency (Diskominfotik) Head Atika Nur Rahmania, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release, Wednesday (6/1).

Even, accessibility and affordability of transportation will also be guaranteed, such as adding sea routes to and from Seribu Islands with clear schedules and more affordable prices.

In the case of accommodation, the administration is also working with locals to improve homestays thus the quality of living and working for digital nomads is better.

As for basic needs such as electricity, PLN and the private sector have been involved to ensure electricity supply. In addition, locals will be guided to fix basic needs such as clean water filters that will be reproduced.

In the future, there will be more co-working spaces on the islands which will be developed as Digital Nomad Island, equipped with entertainment for digital nomads such as music, film, or other art festivals.

"Jakarta invites its residents from various circles to become collaborators in presenting an attractive Digital Nomad Island in Seribu Islands," she closed.

Jakarta's potential is a home for start-ups, unicorns, and technology decacorns. Apart from being at home, one of the favorite locations for digital nomads to work is a co-working space.

Until Semester I-2020, Savills Indonesia noted that Jakarta has 180 coworking spaces that offer a more comfortable and affordable flexy table concept. This city has an opportunity in Seribu Islands, with 113 islands that can be utilized and developed into a Digital Island.

Travel time from mainland Jakarta to the nearest island only takes about 20-30 minutes. According to a Buffer survey (2022), 97% of workers from 2,118 respondents in 16 countries choose to work from outside the office.

Then based on the same survey, 59% chose to work from home and the remaining 41% wanted to work elsewhere. The trend of working from home (WFH) then develope d into Work from Anywhere in line with the easing of isolation regulations.

Farm Trip

Meanwhile, the Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Agency is committed to developing the Seribu Islands, as a Digital Nomad Island (DNI) destination. A digital nomad is a term for someone who works without being bound by time and place.

The term nomad itself comes from the word 'nomadic', a.k.a moving from one place to another.

"The agency welcomed this opportunity, collaborating with pentahelix tourism to prepare infrastructure and other things to build DNI on Bidadari Island and surrounding islands for digital nomads who want to work from Seribu Islands," uttered Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Agency Head Andhika Permata.

To introduce the Seribu Islands as a Digital Nomad destination, the agency held a tourism promotion trip or familiarization trip by inviting influencers and digital nomads.

Bidadari Island and surrounding islands such as Kelor, Onrust, and Kahyangan are the destinations for this DNI Familiarization Trip. This activity was well received by the influencers and digital nomads who attended, Yasmin Zata Ligouw was one of them.

“As a #MomaDigital, I was excited when I learned that Seribu Islands, especially Bidadari Island, could now become a new destination for digital nomads. Here, the facilities and some of the infrastructure will make it easier for us digital nomads to WFA a.k.a work from anywhere," said the owner of the Instagram account @zataligouw in his upload.

There is also another upload from the @saykoji account, where he is remixing the typical Jakarta Kicir-Kicir song on Bidadari Island. It can be seen that DNI is also a place to find and get inspiration in music.