Tourism Ministry Promotes Tourism Villages as an Edu-tourism Attraction

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Tourism (Kemenpar), in collaboration with Garuda Indonesia and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in Sydney, is expanding the Australian educational tourism (EduTourism) market by showcasing Indonesian tourism villages as learning spaces that blend history, art, culture, the environment, and local community life.

Ni Made Ayu Marthini, the Ministry's Deputy for Marketing, stated in Jakarta on Friday, 14 August 2026 that educational tourism presents an opportunity to present Indonesia not merely as a holiday destination, but also as a "living classroom" offering learning experiences rooted in culture, nature, and community life.

"We aim to demonstrate that Indonesia offers authentic and memorable learning experiences—not only in Bali but also in various other premier destinations. We believe that the hands-on learning experiences and networks fostered through this program will open up broader opportunities for developing the educational travel segment across various destinations in Indonesia," said Ni Made Ayu.

To this end, the Ministry organized a series of promotional activities on 3-4 August 2026, beginning with the "Indonesia Goes to School: Experience Wonderful Indonesia in the Classroom" event at Claremont College, Sydney.

This event introduced Indonesian educational tourism experiences directly to school principals, teachers, and students through a variety of interactive workshops.

Participants engaged in a batik-making session with the Wukirsari Tourism Village, learned traditional dance with the Taro Tourism Village, and took part in playing the angklung and crafting items from hanjeli (Job's tears) seeds.

They also participated in a storytelling session hosted by the Indonesian Language and Culture Centre (NSW), featuring an educational book about hanjeli sourced from the Hanjeli Tourism Village.

This series of activities offered a cross-cultural experience while demonstrating to students that Indonesia's rich culture and community life can serve as an integral part of the hands-on learning process.

According to Ni Made Ayu, educational travel represents a high-value segment of high-value tourism. Its nature fosters longer stays and cultivates deeper interactions between travelers and the local community, culture, and educational ecosystem of the destination.

This market potential is further bolstered by the significant volume of travel undertaken by the younger generation globally.

The WYSE Travel Confederation and UN Tourism project that, out of approximately 350 million young people expected to travel in 2025, 23 percent will be students.

Australia stands as a strategic market for Indonesian tourism. Throughout 2025, Australian tourist visits to Indonesia totaled 1,754,791, making Australia the second-largest source market for international visitors for the country.

This trend continued into 2026. By June 2026, Australian tourist visits to Indonesia had reached 864,750—an increase of 6.29 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

"The youth travel industry continues to hold immense potential as a force for good. Beyond its economic impact, this segment fosters knowledge exchange, builds international networks, and strengthens Indonesia's image as a high-quality destination for learning," said Ni Made Ayu.

To expand these market opportunities, the Ministry of Tourism continued its promotional efforts by hosting the EduTourism Networking Event on 4 August 2026.

This event brought together Indonesian tourism industry players with travel industry partners and education stakeholders from New South Wales, Australia.

Yulia, Assistant Deputy for International Tourism Marketing II at the Ministry of Tourism, stated that the event held at the Indonesia Residence featured presentations on premier educational tourism packages, tabletop meetings, networking sessions, and cultural performances.

The gathering facilitated direct interaction between Indonesian sellers and buyers—comprising travel industry professionals and education stakeholders from New South Wales—to explore opportunities for educational travel to Indonesia.

Among the products showcased was Wukirsari Tourism Village in Yogyakarta, which offers learning experiences focused on traditional arts, local wisdom, and world-class batik craftsmanship. Meanwhile, Taro Tourism Village in Bali presented learning experiences centered on the environment, sustainability, and cultural preservation.

"By engaging the tourism industry and tourism villages that offer high-quality educational tourism experiences, we aim to provide a wider range of options for schools, universities, and educational tourism operators in Australia to bring students to Indonesia—allowing them to learn, explore, and experience the country firsthand," said Yulia.

Indonesian Consul General in Sydney Leonards Sondakh stated that Indonesia holds immense potential to be developed not merely as a holiday destination, but also as a travel destination offering diverse learning opportunities.

Through initiatives such as "Indonesia Goes to School" and educational tourism, young Australians can gain firsthand insight into Indonesia’s culture, traditions, way of life, and diversity.

"Indonesia’s tourism villages can serve as living classrooms where students learn directly from local communities while observing the interconnectedness of culture, creativity, sustainability, and the local economy. Through these meaningful experiences, we hope to foster curiosity, deepen understanding, and strengthen people-to-people ties between Indonesia and Australia," said Leonards.

This collaboration—involving the Ministry of Tourism, the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney, Garuda Indonesia, tourism villages, and the travel industry—is part of an effort to expand Indonesia's value-driven tourism market through educational tourism.

Beyond attracting young Australian visitors, the development of this segment aims to extend the benefits of tourism to rural communities through cultural activities, the creative economy, and learning experiences rooted in local wisdom.