RRI.CO.ID, Sorong - Indonesia's Tourism Minister, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, conducted a working visit to Southwest Papua Province to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Raja Ampat National Tourism Destination Master Plan (RIDPN) 2024–2044.

In a Coordination Forum meeting with the Southwest Papua Provincial Government and the Raja Ampat Regency Government at the Aston Hotel in Sorong on Monday May 11, 2026, Minister Widiyanti stated that the meeting aimed to align the central and regional governments' efforts to maintain quality tourism sovereignty as the main focus of Raja Ampat tourism development.

"RIDPN is a shared guideline to ensure Raja Ampat tourism development is directed, integrated, and remains true to its overarching vision. We want to make Raja Ampat a quality archipelago geopark destination based on conservation, community empowerment, and sustainability," Minister Widiyanti conveyed.

She stated that coordination with regional governments is key to addressing real challenges on the ground, ranging from the threat of extractive activities to managing environmental carrying capacity.

"Our message is very clear: Raja Ampat must be maintained as a high-quality sustainable tourism destination. The tourism industry here must not be extractive or exploitative, sacrificing the environment," she said.

From the results of the field evaluation, the Minister of Tourism identified several crucial points requiring joint intervention. These include controlling activities that have the potential to damage the marine ecosystem and managing tourist boat traffic.

According to a release received by RRI Voice of Indonesia on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, the government is currently reviewing the addition of mooring buoys as a primary mitigation solution to prevent coral reef damage caused by the use of ship anchors.

Furthermore, the Minister of Tourism highlighted the issue of carrying capacity management and the risk of overtourism. She revealed that plans to increase flight frequency to Sorong to increase foreign exchange often clash with the limits of nature's capacity to accommodate tourists.

The Minister of Tourism reminded that Raja Ampat's status as "The Last Paradise on Earth" carries a significant responsibility for government officials to prioritize environmental ethics over short-term economic gain. "Quality tourism is not just about the number of visits, but also about safety, cleanliness, accessibility, service, and respect for people and nature," she said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor of Southwest Papua, Ahmad Nausrau, conveyed that Raja Ampat is one of the few places in the world to hold both UNESCO designations: Global Geopark and Biosphere Reserve.

Raja Ampat has also successfully maintained its Platinum Blue Park 2024 status from the Marine Conservation Institute. Nausrau also urged increased support from the Ministry of Tourism in the revalidation process for Raja Ampat by the UNESCO assessor team, scheduled for August 2026.

"This revalidation will determine whether Raja Ampat's UNESCO status will be maintained, upgraded, or revoked," he said.