'Gak Konek', Jakarta's Unconventional Creative Way to Promote Tourism and Culture Towards Global Top 50 Cities

Jakarta has a new way to showcase its charm. Not through travel brochures or street banners, but through digital stories packaged as a web series. This time, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government presents "Gak Konek", a series that puts local culture and tourism in the starring role.

This move is more than just entertainment; it's part of Jakarta's grand strategy to become one of the top 50 Global Cities by 2029.

Suharini Eliawati, Assistant for Economy and Finance at the DKI Jakarta Regional Secretariat, explained that artistic projects like "Gak Konek" are effective steps to elevate the city's ranking on the global stage.

"With the artistic touch from our friends, this can reach even greater heights," said Suharini during the "Gak Konek" premiere gala in Jakarta on Friday night.

She noted that Jakarta has recently made significant progress in the Global City Ranking, climbing from 74th to 71st place.

The next target is to enter the world's top 50 by 2029, as mandated by Governor Pramono Anung and Vice Governor Rano Karno.

To achieve this, Suharini stated that tourism and culture are crucial instruments in the city's grand plan. "Moving forward, we need to explore many more iconic places," she added.

From Flower Markets to the Thousand Islands: Endless Inspiration

One example Suharini mentioned is Rawabelong Flower Market, the largest flower market in Southeast Asia. She believes this place hasn't been fully explored yet.

"Its potential must be packaged attractively through an artistic touch," she said.

The "Gak Konek" series features various Jakarta tourism icons as its settings, from the maritime charm of the Thousand Islands and the bustle of Ancol, to the historical tourism of Kota Tua (Old Town), and the vibrancy of urban areas like Monas and Blok M.

Not only showcasing the city's panorama, this web series also introduces the characters and dynamics of Jakarta's urban life, wrapped in lighthearted and colorful stories.

From "Tiba-Tiba Ngeguide" to "Gak Konek"

"Gak Konek" is not the inaugural project from the DKI Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Disparekraf).

Previously, they achieved success with "Tiba-Tiba Ngeguide" (2022) and "Amnesia Romansa" (2024), two works that also promoted local destinations through a digital cinema approach.

Executive Producer Andhika Permata explained that "Gak Konek" is a continuation of their commitment to boosting domestic tourists' interest in visiting Jakarta's local destinations.

The series is scheduled to premiere on two platforms: RCTI+ on November 10th and Catchplay+ on November 20th, 2025.

Suharini emphasized the importance of public participation in every step of the city's development.

"For us, criticism and suggestions are very important. Criticism is vitamins," she concluded. (Antara)