“We are fully aware that quality tourism finds its foundation in safe and comfortable tourist experiences,” Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said in a statement cited in Jakarta on Wednesday.
She emphasized that the ministry will persist with the Tourism Villages program to ensure that the growth of the tourism sector generates concrete benefits for local communities across the country.
According to Wardhana, the program has reached notable milestones, including the inclusion of two Indonesian villages among the UN Best Tourism Villages and the collection of 15 awards in three categories at the ASEAN Tourism Awards.
She added that the initiative has also led to the issuance of 2,885 halal certificates for tourism villages, along with five sustainable village certificates.
“We are committed to providing guidance to 15 select tourism villages in pursuit of continued development,” the minister said.
Wardhana also underlined her ministry’s resolve to strengthen the Quality Tourism program next year through innovation, particularly by offering thematic tourism packages focused on gastronomy, wellness, and marine attractions to appeal to more higher-spending visitors.
She also highlighted that the Tourism Ministry has been showing its appreciation to all parties supporting the development of quality tourism through the Wonderful Indonesia Awards.
Highlighting the continuation of the Event by Indonesia program, Wardhana said it has proven effective in drawing tourists and stimulating the economy, as reflected by the 12.20 million visitors recorded at various events nationwide throughout 2025.
Those events, she added, helped empower more than 20,800 micro, small, and medium enterprises while providing employment for over 250,000 workers, with the total economic impact reaching Rp23.76 trillion (about US$1.4 billion).
Furthermore, Wardhana reaffirmed her commitment to extending the Tourism 5.0 program into 2026, featuring the AI-powered tourism assistant MaiA to provide fast and reliable information services via www.Indonesia.travel.
She also introduced the Tourism Safety Enhancement program, which aims to improve tour guides’ competencies in managing extreme or high-risk tourist attractions.
In 2025, the ministry also implemented the Clean Tourism Movement to improve cleanliness and hygiene at tourist destinations, involving more than 9,000 participants and 22 strategic partners.
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Translator: Hreeloita D, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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