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INDONESIAN Tourism Minister, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana stated that Indonesian tourism continues to grow strongly amidst global geopolitical pressure.
“We are not only promoting tourism to increase the number of tourist visits, foreign exchange, investment, and contribution to GDP. Equally important, tourism growth must be directly felt by the community,” Widiyanti said at a Working Meeting of the Ministry of Tourism with Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Jakarta, Wednesday (06/3), 2026.
Citing data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), from January to April 2026, foreign tourist visits reached 4.68 million, an 8.24% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Meanwhile, in the first quarter (Q1), Indonesia earned US$4.05 billion, equivalent to IDR68.28 trillion, in tourism foreign exchange. This figure represents a 6.30% increase compared to Q1 2025.
This achievement must continue to be directed towards providing added value to the community, one way being through strengthening tourism villages as an instrument for equitable development, said Widiyanti.
The Ministry of Tourism will continue to promote community empowerment and mentoring, certification of sustainable tourism villages, and collaboration with the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH) to expand halal certification for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in tourism villages.
The Ministry of Tourism, together with BPJPH, has facilitated 31,548 halal certifications for MSMEs in 1,116 tourism villages across 34 provinces as of May 30, 2026. This step is expected to increase the competitiveness of local products while strengthening tourist confidence in regional tourism services.
In addition to tourism villages, the equitable distribution of tourism benefits is also strengthened through the implementation of regional activities. The Karisma Event Nusantara program, implemented in 15 provinces, recorded the involvement of 20,669 workers and 3,936 MSMEs, with economic activity reaching over IDR45.57 billion.
“Events are not only a means of promoting destinations, but also a platform for the people’s economy. MSMEs, artists, creative workers, communities, transportation, culinary, accommodation, and various other supporting sectors are involved,” she affirmed.
The Ministry of Tourism is also strengthening support to regions through assistance assignments in 38 provinces. The program includes travel safety training, the creation of regional promotional content, and support for tourism activities to improve destination quality and encourage tourist movement.
Widiyanti also emphasized that the economy, involving the tourism sector, must have a tangible impact that flows down to villages, motivating MSMEs, creating jobs, and strengthening the regional economy.
Furthermore, she emphasized that future tourism development must be increasingly high-quality, inclusive, and sustainable. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism will continue to strengthen collaboration with the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), regional governments, ministries/institutions, industry, communities, and the public.
“Tourism must become an economic force that grows alongside the people and provides the greatest possible benefits to Indonesia,” she concluded. [traveltext.id]
