Ministries Collaboration to Promote Cultural Heritage and Tourism in Indonesia

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia are collaborating to strengthen synergy in developing culture-based tourism destinations.

At the meeting, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon and Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana discussed integrating data for national and intangible cultural heritage, strengthening the cultural event ecosystem, developing travel patterns, optimizing digital promotion, and collaborating on cultural diplomacy at the international level.

Minister Fadli Zon stressed the importance of aligning the programs of both ministries to have a tangible impact on the community and boost national tourism.

"Culture and tourism are closely related. This collaboration is key to ensuring our cultural potential translated into increased tourist visits," said Minister Fadli in a press statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Minister Fadli Zon emphasized that Indonesia's main strength lies in its rich cultural heritage. However, this potential must be presented through strong storytelling to compete on the global stage.

Currently, the Ministry of Culture manages 313 national cultural heritage sites and 2,727 intangible cultural heritage sites (WBTB), with an additional 514 WBTB planned for 2025. These figures demonstrate Indonesia's significant cultural capital, which can be developed into tourist attractions based on history, religion, and traditional cuisine.

Regarding the management of priority sites, Minister Fadli Zon explained that several areas, including Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, the Ratu Boko Complex, and Plaosan Temple, are already being managed in cooperation with InJourney. Regarding Borobudur specifically, he assessed that visitor capacity could be optimized further. Currently, the visitor quota for the main structure is around 4,000 people per day.

"The installation of the chattra is expected to transform Borobudur into a living heritage site with spiritual significance and global appeal. We hope this will increase the number of domestic and international tourists," he said.

The government is also strengthening the Dieng and Muaro Jambi temple areas by constructing the Kedaton and Koto Mahligai temples and inaugurating the Sriwijaya Dharmakirti Museum next year.

Furthermore, Minister Fadli Zon highlighted historical and archaeological sites, such as Banda Neira and its Spice Route narrative, the colonial forts in Maluku, and the Leang-Leang area in South Sulawesi, as well as Leang Metanduno in Muna, which is approximately 67,800 years old. These sites have been published in international scientific journals.

These grand narratives of civilization and history are considered to have great potential for development within an integrated tourism itinerary.

In the film and fine arts sector, the Ministry of Culture supports Indonesian filmmakers' participation in international film festivals and hosts the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF). This year, Indonesia will participate in the Venice Biennale for the first time, sending 14 visual artists as part of cultural diplomacy. This event will serve as a promotional platform for Indonesian tourism.

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana emphasized that digital promotion is essential to achieving the target of 17 million international tourists and a 14 percent growth rate.

The Indonesia.travel.id platform now uses artificial intelligence to analyze trends and understand tourist preferences. However, the platform's success hinges on robust integrated cultural narratives and data.

The Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) program provides a strategic platform for integrating cultural events and tourism, with 145 events planned for this year. These events will directly impact the regional economy.

"We need data and storytelling support from the Ministry of Culture so that museums and cultural heritage sites can be more visible on our digital platforms. The younger generation seeks information online, and we must leverage this," said Minister Widiyanti.

The collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism is expected to increase tourist visits and strengthen Indonesia's position as a center of global civilization and culture. ***