Natasha Clairine, Founder of Rumah Atsiri Indonesia
Jakarta, IO – The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE), with its Wonderful Indonesia branding, is collaborating with Rumah Atsiri Indonesia to present the first aromatic collection, “Scent of Wonderful Indonesia”. This close collaboration features Indonesian signature fragrances to illustrate Indonesia’s rich traditional heritage and promote its diverse archipelagic identity.
The Scent of Wonderful Indonesia is designed as the new icon in Indonesia’s tourism and creative industry, representing the hospitality and character of Indonesia’s various cultures incorporated into a selection of scents that will captivate the sense of smell. This collaboration well represents the “sensory wonders”, one of Wonderful Indonesia’s five thematic communication pillars, represented by the purple color. This color is also used in the packaging of the Scent of Wonderful Indonesia product to depict sensory wonder.
Ni Made Ayu Marthini, the Deputy for Tourism Marketing at MoTCE, said, “This collaboration brings together the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and Rumah Atsiri Indonesia in an aromatic initiative to raise the profile of Indonesia’s tourism industry and creative economy and encourage national economic growth. This collaboration is also designed as a diplomatic scent – the fragrance that showcases the identity of “Wonderful Indonesia” with its beginning tale to spark interest in Indonesian tourism. Hopefully, this sensory wonder can help tourists experience authentic stories behind the creation of the Scent of Wonderful Indonesia,” she said.
In Indonesia, scents and fragrances have become a daily necessity since the glorious periods of the old kingdoms. They are used in religious rituals, traditional ceremonies and culinary delights. These scents are extracted from spices and plants and distilled into essential oils – a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation.
A few decades ago, in 1963, Indonesia’s first president Soekarno had a great vision to make Indonesia the largest essential oil producer in Asia. Over time, the essential oil factory has become known as Rumah Atsiri Indonesia, which has transformed into an aromatic wellness destination that continues to develop essential oil derivative products.
“The history of essential oils is inseparable from Indonesia’s rich aromatic story. We warmly welcome the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy’s offer to create this special aromatic collection. We sincerely hope that the Scent of Wonderful Indonesia collection can make a meaningful contribution to the tourism industry, opening a wide window into the richness of Indonesia’s cultural and aromatic heritage. And, of course, it can strengthen Indonesia’s character and identity through the sense of smell – the most sensitive sense, which is closely related to a person’s memories and emotions,” said Natasha Clairine, the founder of Rumah Atsiri Indonesia.
Plants used for essential oils have a long history in Indonesia that dates back thousands of years since the Spice Routes. With its unique nature and strategic position on world maritime routes, Indonesia has become an important player in the international spice industry. Not only spices, but Indonesia is also blessed with priceless plants commonly used in perfumes, food and traditional medicinal ingredients.
Take nutmeg, one of the most highly valued spices in the world, as an example. During the colonial era, nutmeg was actively traded and in high demand. It became a prominent spice commodity and was fought over by European nations. Another example is patchouli, a highly valued plant with global recognition. The fact is that around 90% of the world’s perfumery industry uses patchouli. Lemongrass also has an indispensable role in Indonesian medicinal traditions and dishes because of its health benefits and favor.
These iconic and distinctive spices were selected to enrich the Scent of Wonderful Indonesia due to their notable roles in Indonesian cuisine, traditional medicine and fragrances for centuries. The refreshing aromas of lime and lemongrass are often used in aromatherapy to increase relaxation and reduce stress. Indonesian patchouli is known as one of the best in the world, with an earthy and musky aroma and a hint of sweetness and spice. Meanwhile, nutmeg offers a warm and spicy aroma with a hint of sweetness that gives an earthy impression.
Indonesian celebrity Marsha Aruan shared her story about her relationship with essential oils. “Essential oils are necessary in my daily routine because they can improve my mood and help me relax after activities. Today, I was even more amazed by their aromatic diversity, which is uniquely Indonesian, especially after personally experiencing how aromatic experiences can connect us to a country’s cultural identity through the sense of smell,” she said.
This collaboration is expected to build connections between Indonesian unique scents and tourists so that they know Indonesia better and the scents can linger in their memories as the unique scent of Indonesia. Combining the essence of Indonesia’s natural beauty and cultural diversity into products with amazing local nuances, the Scent of Wonderful Indonesia has become a unique platform for promoting Indonesia’s creative economy. It is a new approach to attract international tourists who want to experience the uniqueness and distinctiveness of Indonesia.
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“Through the Scent of Wonderful Indonesia, we want to showcase the diversity and richness of Indonesian creativity. The products featuring local aromas in this initiative symbolize Indonesian authenticity. We are confident that it can be a bridge connecting tourists to other amazing destinations in Indonesia, which will improve the tourism industry and creative economy,” added Ni Made Ayu Marthini.
“More than just an aroma collaboration, the Scent of Wonderful Indonesia is also a journey that introduces Indonesia’s traditional heritage through the sense of smell. We hope that this collaboration will allow domestic and foreign tourists to explore Indonesia’s cultural charm through fragrances and provide a strong stimulus for the growth of the Indonesian tourism industry,” said Natasha. (rp)