RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is strengthening its tourism business diplomacy by partnering with global companies to accelerate the transformation of the national tourism sector. Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana emphasized this step during the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026 in Cebu, Philippines.

At the forum, she highlighted the importance of strategic cross-sector collaboration to address global tourism challenges, including sustainability, digitalization, and improving the quality of international tourism. One collaboration that has had a significant impact is the partnership with the digital travel platform Agoda.

Widiyanti stated that integrating Indonesian destinations into Agoda's global ecosystem and launching joint marketing campaigns has strengthened Indonesia's position in the international market. These efforts are considered effective in increasing destination visibility, driving booking conversions, and encouraging repeat visits.

"A data-driven approach and digital technology are key to improving the competitiveness of Indonesian tourism amidst global competition," Widiyanti said in an official statement on Friday, January 30, 2026, in Jakarta, as quoted by Antara.

During her meeting with Agoda's Chief Commercial Officer, Damien Pfirsch, Widiyanti emphasized the importance of digital transformation aligned with sustainability principles. She commended Agoda's "Eco Deals" initiative, considering it aligned with the national policy of establishing sustainability as the primary foundation of tourism development.

In addition to technological and environmental aspects, the discussion also focused on strengthening the quality of human resources. Collaborating through the "Agoda Academy" program and providing training at the Ministry of Tourism's Tourism Polytechnic is seen as a long-term investment in creating a professional and competitive tourism ecosystem.

"Public-private partnerships like this one show that tourism development cannot happen on its own. It requires an active role from the business sector to create a real impact," said Widiyanti.

Efforts to expand cooperation were undertaken through meetings with the United States-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC). During the dialogue, Widiyanti emphasized the importance of ongoing communication and strategic planning with the global private sector to achieve national tourism development goals and address environmental and logistical challenges.

The Indonesian government's goal is to receive 16 to 17.6 million international tourist visits by 2026. Key strategies to achieve this target include developing cruise tourism and strengthening partnerships with key industry players such as Visa, Marriott, Expedia, Airbnb, and Royal Caribbean Group.

Widiyanti concluded, "Technology and data based collaboration will accelerate the growth of quality tourism, improve connectivity, and enhance service efficiency, aligning with the national tourism transformation agenda." ***

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