RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Tourism Minister, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, paid a working visit to the Ministry of Communication and Digital to discuss strengthening oversight of Online Travel Agents (OTAs) and national tourism promotion in Jakarta, 24 February 2026. During the meeting, the Minister expressed her appreciation for the cross-ministerial synergy in supporting more orderly and credible governance of the tourism sector.

She emphasized that tourism development within the Red and White Cabinet falls under the coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, as this sector is expected to be a driving force for the national economy.

According to her, the tourism sector has a strategic contribution to economic growth. "Because the tourism sector has proven and is expected to be one of the driving forces of the national economy, in line with the President's vision of 8 percent economic growth," she said.

The minister revealed that tourism foreign exchange in 2025 is estimated to reach IDR 317.2 trillion, with a contribution to GDP of around 3.9 to 4.8 percent.

Widiyanti said that the government is targeting significant growth. "We have been given a target of reaching US$39.4 billion or around IDR 651.2 trillion in 2029, with a contribution to GDP of 5 percent," she explained.

This target is considered achievable only if the tourism ecosystem, including OTAs, operates in accordance with regulations and positively supports national promotion.

During the meeting, one of the main topics discussed was the regulation of licensing and the accuracy of tourism businesses, including OTAs operating in the digital space. Furthermore, the two ministries also discussed the importance of disseminating positive news and addressing misinformation that could impact Indonesia's tourism image.

Widiyanti explained that the Ministry of Tourism manages the official Indonesia.travel website as a promotional tool and provider of trusted information. "This site is designed to provide interactive information about destinations, travel inspiration, special interests such as culinary and Muslim-friendly tourism, as well as access guides to destinations," she said.

She added that in November of last year, the ministry launched the Travel Planner feature and an AI Companion called Maya to facilitate travel planning for tourists. "Indonesia.travel fully functions as a promotional instrument and information provider for tourists," she emphasized.