Indonesian Public Diplomacy Through the Conference Gala Dinner

High Level (Summit) G20 Bali 2022

Nurul Wahyuni and Indrawati

Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Public Diplomacy, G20 Summit, Gala Dinner

Abstract: The G20 Summit, held in Bali on November 15-16, 2020, produced a joint declaration. The G20 summit

was welcomed, given that the summit was held amidst an unstable geopolitical situation and rising tensions

between major powers. The focus of this research is to see how much impact or effect a Gala Dinner event

has in Indonesia to outsiders and how successful the Gala Dinner is as a way of public diplomacy by

Indonesia to outsiders. This study uses a qualitative approach. This is because the results of this study are in

the form of descriptions that cannot be calculated. The data collection technique in this study was to collect

data from primary sources and various literature that supports the formulation of the research problem using

documentation techniques. The findings of this study confirm that Indonesia's public diplomacy at the G20

Summit Gala Dinner has been successful because Indonesia has managed to attract international media

attention, received a positive response from the international community, resulted in agreements and

cooperation with several G20 member countries, and received positive perceptions from the international

community. With the positive image of Indonesia created through the Gala Dinner at the G20 Summit in

Bali, Indonesia can strengthen diplomatic and business relations with G20 member countries, increase

tourism, and open up broader investment.

1 INTRODUCTION

The G20 Summit in Bali on November 15-16, 2020,

produced a joint declaration. The G20 Summit was

welcomed, considering that the high-level

conference was held amidst an unstable geopolitical

situation and increasing tensions between significant

countries. However, to what extent can Indonesian

diplomacy claim to have been successful? Indonesia

should be proud because

the declaration of the G20

Bali leaders can benefit the global

branding of the

Indonesian state (Ramadhan, 2020). The G20

Summit is one of Indonesia's diplomatic strategies.

The role of diplomacy in a country can be

classified as having a significant impact. This can be

seen from the development of the diplomatic

function itself. Initially, diplomacy was only a

means of foreign policy in international relations,

but now it has a role that is more than that (Aksoy,

2018). Public diplomacy focuses on increasing

people's knowledge about a

country and changing

people's views of that country.

Apart from that, it also focuses on increasing

public appreciation and improving relations between

countries through education and culture, so it can be

said that this diplomacy has a more subtle way of

conducting diplomacy. Because this diplomacy does

not use violent methods, it is included in soft power

diplomacy, which can be seen from the country's

cultural resources, values, and policies (Jayanti,

2019).

Several countries in the world have used this

method and achieved success in introducing culture

and culinary delights to other countries. One of the

countries is Indonesia.

Even though Indonesia itself is still a country

that is new to using this diplomatic method, it is

used to improve Indonesia. It is a multicultural

country with various cultures, religions, ethnicities,

races, arts, and customs that Indonesian people must

maintain and preserve.

Indonesia's diverse culture uniquely attracts the

international community (Khatrunada, 2019).

Indonesia can hold a Gala Dinner in the framework

of the 2022 G20 Summit, which will be held in Bali.

A Gala Dinner is usually held to celebrate, give

awards, or involve the broader community by

114

Wahyuni, N. and Indrawati, .

Indonesian Public Diplomacy Through the Conference Gala Dinner High Level (Summit) G20 Bali 2022.

DOI: 10.5220/0012641100003821

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 4th International Seminar and Call for Paper (ISCP UTA ’45 JAKARTA 2023), pages 114-123

ISBN: 978-989-758-691-0; ISSN: 2828-853X

serving several special foods. Usually, this Gala

Dinner serves three of four courses to seated guests.

The Gala Dinner was first held in the 19th century to

pay tribute to presidents and other important

officials, so it could be said that it was a Gala Dinner

is a dinner held by the president to welcome other

foreign heads of state as guests of honor (Arjanto,

2022).

The G20 is a multilateral cooperation forum

comprising nineteen significant countries and the

European Union, covering a range of economies

from middle to high-income and developing to

developed countries. Formed in 1999 based on the

ideas of the G7 member countries, namely the

United States, Canada, England, Germany, France,

Italy and Japan, the G20 involves the United States,

Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, England,

Germany, Italy, France, Russia, South Africa, Saudi

Arabia, Turkey, China, Japan, South Korea, India,

Indonesia, Australia and the European Union.

Despite having no official leader, the presidency

functions are usually held by one member for one

year. The G20 is vital because it covers more than

two-thirds of the world's population, 75% of global

trade, and 80% of the world's Gross Domestic

Product (GDP) (Kominfo, 2022).

Several diplomacies were carried out in the

framework of the G20 Summit, including holding a

Gala Dinner for state leaders and G20 delegates at

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Park (GWK), South Kuta,

Bali. At this event, many state leaders wore batik,

such as Chinese President Xi Jinping, Canadian

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Japanese Prime

Minister Fumio Kishida, Indian Prime Minister

Narendra Modi, and the President of South Korea,

Yoon Suk Yeol.

At the Gala Dinner, guests were treated to

various culinary dishes from various regions in the

archipelago, including typical food from Bali, Java,

North Sulawesi, Lampung, West Sumatra, North

Sumatra, and Aceh. Some dishes served include

Aneka Ratna Mutumanikam as an appetizer

consisting of mango, seaweed, Balinese rujak spiced

salad, and Manado crab meat corn fritters.

Main dishes include Lampung wagyu beef

tenderloin, Padang rendang, cassava and potato

mousseline, asparagus in Balinese turmeric sauce,

and eggplant balado porridge. They served dessert

with Acehnese chocolate mousse, tuille rice, black

sticky rice with grated coconut, and coulis mango.

Not only that, apart from typical Indonesian

dishes, leaders of G20 member countries, delegates,

ministers, as well as former Presidents and Vice

Presidents of the Republic of Indonesia were also

entertained with cultural performances featuring

compiled traditional dances and songs, digital

theater projects projected onto the limestone walls of

GWK, and performances from musicians Andmesh

Kamaleng and RDP Hip Hop Generation.

Based on the background explained above, the

researcher wanted to explain and find out more

about the Gala Dinner event, which is used as a

force for Indonesian public diplomacy, so this

research was prepared entitled "Indonesian Public

Diplomacy Through the Gala Dinner of the G20 Bali

2022 High-Level Conference (KTT)”.

2 METHOD

The type of research used is library research, often

known as library study. The focus of this research is

to see how much impact or effect a Gala Dinner

event in Indonesia has on parties outside the country

and how successful the Gala Dinner is as one of the

methods of public diplomacy carried out by

Indonesia towards external parties.

The data collection technique in this research is

taking data from primary sources and various

literature that supports the formulation of this

research problem with documentation techniques.

The documentation technique is a technique that is

usually used to search for various data to answer

research questions, such as journals, character

biographies, stories, newspapers, and so on

(Sugiyono, 2012).

In this research, primary data was taken from the

number of viewers and comments that appeared via

social media such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter,

and other domestic and foreign social media. The

secondary data comes from five similar research

journals or previous research, plus books or other

journals that discuss the concepts of public

diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, the G20 Summit,

and the Gala Dinner.

Data analysis is a series of activities consisting of

organizing data, sorting data, searching and

discovering patterns, finding essential things that

must be studied, and making decisions about things

that can be shared with others (Moleong, 2009). In

this research, the data analysis techniques

researchers use are content analysis and descriptive

analytics.

In this research, source triangulation was carried

out through five previous journals, which will be

compared with current research. This requires

complete data collection and analysis so that the

results are comprehensive.

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3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Impact of Implementing the G20

Summit Gala Dinner

The G20 Gala Dinner in Bali succeeded in

showcasing Indonesian culture and culinary delights

to the international world. Dinner features a variety

of traditional Indonesian dishes, such as lettuce,

served as an appetizer. The G20 Summit held on 15-

16 November 2022 achieved the G20 Bali Leaders

Declaration, a significant achievement for

Indonesian diplomacy. The welcome dinner and

cultural performance on November 15, 2022, will

also showcase Indonesian culture.

The success of the G20 Summit and Gala Dinner

results from Indonesia's effective public diplomacy,

which highlights the importance of global

cooperation and strengthening diplomatic relations

between countries. Overall, Indonesia's public

diplomacy at the G20 Gala Dinner in Bali

successfully promoted Indonesian culture and

strengthened Indonesia's position as a global player.

The government remains the leading actor in

international relations activities, although non-

governmental actors continue to grow. The

government plays an important role, which includes

formal diplomatic processes.

Sinulingga (Sinulingga, 2020) stated that

successful public diplomacy can increase trust and

respect for the host country and positively influence

the economy, tourism, and investment. Improvement

of Indonesia's image obtained from. The

international community's positive response to the

G20 Summit Gala Dinner in Bali can bring long-

term benefits to Indonesia, such as economic

growth, solid diplomatic relations, increased tourist

visits, and improved national image and pride. The

success of these cultural events and performances

can improve Indonesia's reputation as a country

hosting international events and improve diplomatic

relations with other countries.

3.2 Positive Response to the G20

Summit Gala Dinner

The G20 Summit Gala Dinner is essential for the

international economy and for Indonesia as the host.

As the host, Indonesia must pay attention to all

aspects and prepare as best as possible for the event

to run well and not disappoint other heads of state.

The importance of this event and the many other

countries also joining in have made this event a hot

and lively topic of conversation, especially on social

media. Various conversations on social media

started on November 13, 2022, two days before the

event took place.

On November 15, 2022 (or the first day of the

G20 Summit Gala Dinner), it was found that the

number of conversations was between 30 and 40

thousand, while the number of people discussing this

topic was between 10 and 20 thousand people. Then,

it reached its highest peak on November 17, 2022.

On this date, the number of conversations was

54,335, and the number of people talking about the

event was 37,527. The large number obtained

indicates that social media has attracted public

attention and made this event go viral. The following

will describe the response of foreign communities to

the G20 Summit event.

Figure 1: Public response to the G20 Gala Dinner on

Twitter.

The image above is an example of comments

regarding the G20 Summit Gala Dinner. The G20

India Twitter account shared a tweet about the

Welcome Dinner for the leaders of the G20

countries and other invitees attending the G20

Summit in Bali. This message generated 149

Retweets, 8 Quotes, 723 Likes, and 7 Marks. A

YouTube video titled "G20 Summit Indonesia 2022 |

World Leaders Take Part in G20 Gala Dinner | Live"

shows world leaders participating in a Gala Dinner

during the G20 Summit in Bali.

Figure 2: Response of Overseas Netizens.

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Apart from that, the Presidential Secretariat

YouTube, which broadcast the Gala Dinner event,

was also commented on by Indonesian netizens and

foreign netizens. Netizens gave various positive

comments, as found in the comments column.

Figure 3: Public response to the G20 Gala Dinner on

YouTube.

Judging from the image above, this YouTube

account has 2.41 million followers. The image above

is an example of a video uploaded by this account

which shows the G20 Gala Dinner event live. The

video was watched 2,560,634 times and received 53

thousand likes and 4,711 comments. Almost all of

the comments were positive, and the people who

gave comments came from several countries.

The example above shows comments made by

one Indian citizen and a Swedish citizen. A

comment given by an Indian citizen stated that he

was proud of Indonesia, which still respects Hindu

customs even though most Indonesian citizens are

Muslim. A comment given by a Swedish citizen

showed that he was proud of Indonesia and Bali

(Widodo, 2022).

Figure 4: Public Response to the G20 Gala Dinner on

YouTube.

A video on YouTube above shows the

atmosphere at the Gala Dinner venue, with the

guests arriving and the preparations being made for

the event. In the video, he praises Indonesian

President Jokowi for wearing traditional Balinese

clothing at the Gala Dinner, welcoming the leaders

of participating countries.

Figure 5: Public response to the G20 Gala Dinner on

YouTube.

One on YouTube reacted to the G20 Gala Dinner

in Bali, saying, "Wow, serious eye candy.” Another

YouTube video shows a Nigerian reacting to a

cultural performance at the G20 Bali event, saying,

"This is amazing." This video also shows the

expressions of the leaders of participating countries

as they enjoy cultural performances at the Gala

Dinner held during the G20 Summit in Bali.

Figure 6: Public Response to the G20 Gala Dinner on

YouTube.

YouTube reaction video by Gianni Bravo Ska

shows the host reacting positively to the cultural

performance at the G20 Gala Dinner in Bali. This

YouTuber was impressed by the cultural

performance and traditional clothing worn by

Indonesian President Jokowi at the Gala Dinner held

during the G20 Summit in Bali. He described the

cultural performance as extraordinary and expressed

interest in the preparations and atmosphere of the

venue.

Figure 7: Public Response to the G20 Gala Dinner on

Instagram. Source: www.instagram.com.

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In this video, you can see positive comments

saying that the Gala Dinner was a spectacular show!

Opening dinner welcoming the G20 Indonesia

Summit Gala Dinner in Bali, Indonesia. This is an

example of how Indonesia hosts international events

very well. Truly world-class. We also hope to host

other major world events like the 2036 Olympics.

Figure 8: French President Emmanuel Macron expressing

his admiration for the G20 Summit Gala Dinner. Source:

www.tiktok.com.

The video above shows French President

Emmanuel Macron expressing his admiration for the

G20 Summit Gala Dinner and praising the

appearance of the Gala Dinner, which was very

beautiful and succeeded in attracting the attention of

the French President through the cultural dances

performed at the Gala Dinner. In the video, the

French President also said he was amazed by the

tolerance of various cultures at the Gala Dinner.

The French President's statement regarding the

beauty displayed at the Gala Dinner event shows

that Indonesia has succeeded in holding an

international class event and that Indonesia is also a

unique and highly tolerant country with the cultural

diversity that exists in Indonesia.

Figure 9: French President Emmanuel Macron walking

home. Source:www.tiktok.com.

The video above shows French President

Emmanuel Macron stating that he is very

comfortable and amazed to be in Bali. After the Bali

G20 Summit dinner, French President Emmanuel

Macron walked around Bali for around 2 km before

returning to the hotel using the Mercedes Benz G

Class presidential car. Despite wearing the same

white shirt and trousers at the banquet, Macron

exited the car and walked under tight guard. During

walking, he greeted and took selfies with Balinese

people he met on the street at around 22.00 WITA.

French President Emmanuel Macron, walking in

Bali, interacting with residents, and taking selfies

shows the image of Indonesia as a friendly and safe

country. The actions of netizens reflect peace and

security in the neighborhood. It gives the French

President and the international community a positive

impression of the friendliness and warm welcome

given by the Indonesian people. President Macron's

courage to walk among Balinese people shows his

trust and confidence that the environment is safe and

friendly.

This also shows that the Indonesian authorities

have taken adequate security measures to maintain a

safe situation for the state's guests. The positive

interactions between President Macron and

residents, including greetings and taking selfies

together, reflect the friendliness and friendliness of

the Indonesian people. This strengthens Indonesia's

image as a friendly tourist destination and welcomes

guests from various countries. The incident where

President Macron held and kissed the baby of a

mother named Ni Luh Ana Putri Ani added an

emotional dimension to the French President's

interaction with the Balinese people. The video of

the moment was uploaded by netizens to TikTok and

went viral, attracting the attention of many

worldwide events.

Apart from that, this incident also reflects the

strong presence of social media technology in

sharing important moments virally. That way, this

moment can quickly attract widespread attention and

provide a positive picture of the relationship

between Indonesia's head of state and society.

Things like this give the impression that Indonesia is

a warm country that welcomes guests with open

arms and builds emotional relationships with

visitors. This can positively impact people's

perception of Indonesia as a tourist destination and

friendly country.

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Figure 10: Heart emoticon comments Source:

www.instagram.com.

Many foreign netizens commented on the

@g20org post above and gave heart emoticons.

Heart emoticons are generally used as a symbol of

expression of love, affection, or joy. Regarding

positive comments about holding the G20 Summit

Gala Dinner, using heart emoticons can show joy,

appreciation, and support for the event.

When someone uses a heart emoticon in a

positive comment, it can indicate that they feel

happy and excited about the success of the Gala

Dinner at the G20 Summit. They appreciate the

efforts made by the state host in organizing quality

and well-organized events.

Heart emoticons can also reflect pride and

satisfaction with the positive image promoted by

holding the Gala Dinner. Netizens consider it a good

achievement in strengthening diplomatic relations,

advancing global policies, and contributing to the

local economy and tourism. Research conducted by

Abdul Halim stated that the opinions expressed by

the public regarding the G20 Summit Gala Dinner

on social media were positive. This positive opinion

can be used as input in developing a decision

support system for the government in making

policies regarding implementing state activities in

the future (Anshor, 2022).

From several public responses on various social

media, it can be concluded that the public remains

enthusiastic or interested in discussing the G20

Summit Gala Dinner event. This is because the

account owner's social media management is carried

out by providing public information that suits the

needs of other social media users. Good social media

management will give an excellent image to the G20

Summit Gala Dinner event. In contrast, poor social

media management will make the G20 Summit Gala

Dinner. Whether social media management is good

or not can be seen through uploaded posts that do

not provide detailed public information (Citra,

2021).

Social media as an image is one of the most

exciting media functions. Image is an impression

that can arise due to understanding reality. In other

words, an image is a picture of information about an

object or subject. Social media is also a means of

digital diplomacy that has developed no longer just

as a tool for disseminating information and building

positive perceptions but rather as an effort to

establish communication between individuals so that

a sense of mutual understanding arises.

This feeling can encourage the formation of

positive support. Because this new digital diplomacy

aims to generate understanding and assess people's

responsiveness to social media, it is seen through the

amount and depth of dialogue. This change in the

digital concept began because it developed from

public diplomacy.

Public diplomacy is a form used for countries to

understand culture, attitudes, and behavior, build and

manage relationships, influence minds, and mobilize

action to advance their interests and values

(Kurniawati, 2020). At the G20 Summit Gala

Dinner, Indonesia indirectly used this moment to

carry out public diplomacy through cultures

packaged in various performances presented at the

event. Regarding social media, the event wants to

give people the same understanding about the G20

Summit Gala Dinner event.

The dialogue between the public and social

media account owners can be a bridge for building

the same values regarding a phenomenon.

Communication or relationships between

individuals can enable individuals to acquire shared

knowledge.

This shared knowledge makes it easier for

individuals in a group to imitate the behavior and

thoughts of a group (Kurniawati, 2020). Several

people were enthusiastic about responding on social

media covering the G20 Summit Gala Dinner event.

However, it was not very good because the account

owner did not provide answers or respond to

comments given by the public. In this way, it can

close the opportunity for dialogue, essential to

bridge the emergence of understanding.

The research results show that the G20 Summit

Gala Dinner in Indonesia positively impacted

Indonesia's image. The Gala Dinner is an

opportunity for Indonesia to show its cultural and

gastronomic diversity and its ability to organize

large and successful events. Apart from that, the

presence of state leaders in Indonesia is also

considered a sign of recognition of Indonesia's

potential as a developing country and has a vital role

at the international level.

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3.3 Improving Indonesia's Image

The image of a country will influence relations with

other countries. This can be seen in the trade,

investment, and tourism sectors. The country's

image is influenced by state administrators' behavior

in managing the state or state administrators and

their citizens when they go abroad, whether

studying, working, or doing business. It is not easy;

building the image of a country requires deeper

digging, both in the form of excellent

communication and service to every newcomer who

visits our country and a culture of life that is not

negative. Meanwhile, industry and technology are

separate pillars in providing an image (Kresnarini,

2011).

Positive comments regarding the holding of the

G20 Summit Gala Dinner in Bali obtained from

searches on social media, YouTube, and official

media reflect appreciation for various aspects of the

event and improve Indonesia's image in the eyes of

the world.

Several aspects that can provide an overview of

Indonesia's image from the public's response are

based on the extent to which they feel safe and

protected during the event. If effective security

measures are taken, and participants feel

comfortable, Indonesia's image as a host that can

maintain security will improve. A positive response

to professionalism and efficiency in event

implementation will reflect a positive image of

Indonesia.

Apart from friendly behavior and exemplary

service to participants and spectators, it will build

Indonesia's warm and welcoming host image. The

international community will appreciate the friendly

gestures and cultural friendliness demonstrated by

the staff and volunteers during the event.

The availability of adequate infrastructure and

facilities, such as modern venues, good accessibility,

smooth transportation, and adequate

accommodation, will give a positive impression of

Indonesia as a host for international events.

Also, you can introduce Indonesian culture

through artistic performances, culinary delights, and

other cultures as reliable and capable hosts,

strengthening Indonesia's image as a country rich in

cultural heritage. Bringing local uniqueness to an

international event will provide an unforgettable

experience for participants and spectators.

The public's positive response to these various

aspects can strengthen Indonesia's image as a host of

international events. The better the public response

to holding the event, the better Indonesia's image as

a successful host and committed to holding

international events.

So, it can be said that the cultural diplomacy

carried out by Indonesia at the Bali G20 Summit

Gala Dinner gave a positive impression to the

international guests who attended. In this event,

Indonesia succeeded in showcasing the richness of

Bali's culture, fine arts, culinary arts, handicrafts,

and stunning natural beauty. This gave an

unforgettable impression to the international guests

who attended this event and increased Indonesia's

positive image in the eyes of the world.

Wishnutama led this spectacular Gala Dinner as

an International Organizer (IO). Wishnutama is a

professional involved in various significant events,

from the Asian Games to the Gala Dinner.

Previously, at the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta

and Palembang, Wishnutama played an essential

role as IO. The Asian Games are the biggest sporting

event in Asia, involving thousands of athletes from

various countries. Wishnutama demonstrated its

organizational skills by successfully managing the

event, including coordinating with various related

parties, maintaining a tight schedule, and providing

an unforgettable experience for participants and

spectators.

Figure 11: The Prime Minister of India and the Prime

Minister of the United States Expressed Their Amazement

at the Magnificence of the Gala Dinner Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qELpnbg2alg.

The video above shows the Prime Minister of

India, Modi, and the Prime Minister of the United

States, curious and expressing admiration for the

grandeur of the G20 Summit Gala Dinner.

Wishnutama's expertise is increasingly recognized

through organizing an extraordinary Gala Dinner.

Wishnutama organized and hosted this event

smoothly, creating an elegant atmosphere and an

unforgettable culinary experience for guests.

Through achievements like these, Indonesia has

earned an organizing international event

successfully. This not only gives pride to the country

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but also has a positive impact on tourism, the

economy, and the promotion of Indonesia in the eyes

of the world.

Previously, Indonesia's image regarding security

may have been inadequate. News about security

problems or political instability can influence the

international community's perception of security in

Indonesia.

Disturbances to state stability are often caused by

divisions arising from political groups based on

religious identity and nationalism. The spread of

hoax news, persecution, restrictions on democratic

space, and other evidence of a crisis of distrust in the

government.

A series of bomb explosion incidents that

occurred in Bali and several other regions in

Indonesia in the period 2002- 2005 had an impact on

negative perceptions of Indonesia's image. In

particular, the death of foreign citizens, especially

from Australia, as a result of this incident has

triggered an unfavorable international view of

Indonesia. In response to this situation, Indonesia

has conducted various diplomatic efforts to restore

the country's image, which was tarnished due to

these incidents.

However, Indonesia's image can improve

through the success of a well-organized Gala

Dinner. The Gala Dinner's success can attract

international media's attention and receive favorable

coverage. News and coverage that depicts Indonesia

as a successful host of international events will

strengthen the positive image of the country of

Indonesia.

Indonesia succeeded in showing the richness of

Indonesian culture and art to international guests in

an interactive and immersive way. This can increase

international guests' interest and appreciation for

Indonesian arts and culture and strengthen

Indonesia's positive image as a country with

invaluable cultural riches.

Thus, a positive image of Indonesia is essential

in strengthening Indonesia's position in the eyes of

the world and opening up new opportunities for

Indonesia's progress in various fields.

3.4 Tourism Improvement

The G20 Summit Gala Dinner in Bali in November

2022 will positively impact Bali's tourism industry.

Based on the results of the analysis, there is a

correlation between the G20 Summit Gala Dinner

and the increase in the number of tourists in Bali.

The recorded number of domestic and international

tourists at peak activities and meetings reached

20,559 people, and arrivals to Bali now reach an

average of 24,009 daily.

Data for December 2022 shows that an average

of 12,281 foreign tourists entered Bali via I Gusti

Ngurah Rai International Airport daily, an increase

of around 14% compared to November 2022, which

was 9,809 per day. If you look at the daily average

in a year, especially in 2022, December has the

highest daily average. October also recorded a

relatively high daily average, namely 10,090 people.

From January 2022 to December 25, 2022, a total of

2,124,226 foreign tourists entered Bali through this

airport (Government, 2022)

Table 1: Increase in the number of tourists in Bali.

This table shows a significant increase in the

average number of foreign tourists per day in Bali in

December 2022, with an increase of around 14%

compared to November 2022. Meanwhile, the daily

average number of domestic passengers entering

Bali via the International Airport I Gusti Ngurah Rai

on 1-25 December 2022 is 14,339 people per day.

In the previous month, the daily average only

reached 11,281 people per day. The highest daily

average number of domestic passengers in 2022 will

also occur in December 2022 (Admin, 2023). The

increase in tourist arrivals to Bali in December 2022

cannot be separated from the positive impact of the

successful G20 Summit in November in Bali. An

article also reported that the number of visitors to the

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park (GWK) in

Bali increased to 5,500 people per day after the G20

Summit (Government, 2022)

Table 2: Increase in Domestic Visits.

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This table shows an increase in domestic

passenger visits to Bali in December 2022, with an

increase of around 26.96% compared to November

2022. In addition, the highest daily average number

of domestic passengers in 2022 also occurred in

December 2022.

Apart from that, data from the Bali Province

Central Statistics Agency shows that until May

2023, positive growth was recorded in the number of

foreign tourist visits to Indonesia. During this

period, the number of foreign tourists coming to

Indonesia reached 945,590 visits, showing an

increase of around 9.21 percent compared to the

previous month. Of the total foreign tourists,

439,475 direct visits went to Bali.

This fact illustrates that more than 46.47 percent

of the foreign tourists entering Indonesia chose Bali

as their entry point. Most foreign tourists visit Bali

during May 2023, as presented in the Official

Statistical News report regarding the progress of

Bali tourism by the Bali Province Central Statistics

Agency (BPS).

Source: Bali.bps.go.id.

Figure 12.

3.5 Economic Improvement

In the third quarter of 2022, Bali's economy

experienced significant growth of up to 8% year-on-

year compared to 3% in the previous quarter. In line

with the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy,

Sandiaga Uno, he stated that holding the G20

Summit in Bali provided a strong impetus for the

recovery of Indonesia's tourism sector.

In the given context, although the impact of the

G20 Summit on the national economy directly is not

very significant, some data shows a positive impact

on the Bali economy, namely economic growth in

Bali and Nusa Tenggara in the third quarter of 2022

reached 8 .1% (year on year/yoy), more than double

compared to growth in the second quarter of 2022

which only reached 3.05%.

This shows an increase in economic activity in

the area. The occupancy rate of hotels around the

location of the G20 Summit increased significantly

before the event was held, reaching 45.96%. This

shows an increase in tourist demand related to this

event. The central government has invested IDR

526.54 billion to beautify the Nusa Dua, Sanur, and

Ubud areas. This shows an increase in infrastructure

in the area, which can support the growth of the

tourism sector and the local economy.

In addition, the Bali Province Central Statistics

Agency noted that Bali's economy in the first quarter

of 2023 experienced growth of 6.04 percent when

compared to the first quarter of 2022. In connection

with the increase in air transportation activity, there

was an increase in the number of foreign tourist visits

in the first quarter of 2023. An increase in Added

value in the transportation sector and providing food

and drink accommodation has a positive impact as a

driver for other industrial sectors.

Apart from that, the growth in financial

transactions also follows the spirit of an economy

increasingly moving forward. These notes, as a

whole, reflect the sustainable recovery of the Bali

economy in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the

same period in the previous year.

Added value in Category H (Transportation and

Warehousing) in the first quarter of 2023 increased

36.23 percent compared to the first quarter of 2022,

thanks to increased land, sea, air, river, and lake

transportation activities and warehousing.

International flight traffic experienced a significant

increase. Data from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International

Airport, Denpasar Bali, shows an increase of more

than 9 thousand percent in passenger departures on

international routes during the first quarter of 2023

compared to the first quarter of 2022.

An increase was also seen in domestic departures,

namely 28.19 percent. Reports from ASDP

Gilimanuk and Padangbai recorded an increase of

around 176 percent in passengers passing through the

port. Sea transportation also experienced a significant

increase, with passengers reaching around 814

percent.

Source: Bali.bps.go.id.

Figure 13.

ISCP UTA ’45 JAKARTA 2023 - THE INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR AND CALL FOR PAPER (ISCP) UTA ’45 JAKARTA

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This data shows the positive impact of the G20

Summit on the regional economy. Even though the

impact is more limited to Bali, the data above shows

that the G20 Summit Gala Dinner has positively

impacted the regional economy. High economic

growth rates, increased hotel occupancy, and

investment in infrastructure are indications that This

event has encouraged economic growth in Bali.

PPKM restrictions in Bali still apply during the

Gala G20 Summit Dinner in November 2022.

According to the circular (Surat Circular PPKM

35425/SEKRET/2022) mentioned in the Bali.com

article, restrictions are in effect from 12 to 17

November 2022 (Admin, 2023). It was also stated

that the increase in tourist visits to Bali in December

2022 cannot be separated from the successful impact

of the G20 Summit in November in Bali

(Government, 2022).

In addition, the sales of Bomba batik, a typical

Palu batik, reached 30% thanks to the attention

given to this fabric during the G20 Summit in Bali.

Bomba batik craftsmen reported a significant spike

in demand because various prominent figures wore

Bomba batik during the event.

4 CONCLUSION

The Gala Dinner held at the G20 Summit in Bali is a

clear example of how public diplomacy can be used

to improve a country's image internationally.

Indonesia's public diplomacy at the G20 Summit

Gala Dinner was successful because Indonesia

succeeded in attracting the attention of international

media, received a positive response from the

international community, and resulted in agreements

and cooperation with several member countries.

More specifically, the author concludes that the

impact of successful public diplomacy can increase

trust and respect for the host country and positively

influence the economy, tourism, and investment.

The improvement in Indonesia's image resulting

from the international community's positive response

to the G20 Summit Gala Dinner in Bali has the

potential to bring long-term benefits to Indonesia,

such as economic growth, solid diplomatic relations,

increased tourist visits, as well as improving the

nation's image and pride. The success of these

cultural events and performances can improve

Indonesia's reputation as a country hosting

international events and improve diplomatic

relations with other countries.

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