Indonesia and South Korea Team Up to Boost Bilateral Tourism
- 03 Jul 2026 00:21 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism is partnering with South Korea to strengthen tourism human-resource capacity and global competitiveness.
- The partnership includes intensive training through the UN Tourism Executive Training Program and education opportunities in South Korea for tourism officials and young professionals.
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - To cultivate a next generation capable of competing globally, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism is partnering with South Korea to strengthen Indonesia’s tourism human-resource capacity. Through this partnership, local tourism officials and young practitioners will receive intensive training via the United Nation (UN) Tourism Executive Training Program and gain direct access to education opportunities in South Korea.
“The Ministry of Tourism wants to strengthen promotional and marketing cooperation with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and leading Korean wholesalers. This collaborative effort aims to boost tourist visits between the two countries,” said Ministry of Tourism Spokesperson, Nia Niscaya, in Jakarta on Thursday, 2 July 2026.
Nia said the ministry will designate KTO and major Korean wholesalers as marketing partners for sales-package programs, business matching, and familiarization trips (fam trips).
The ministry plans to participate in several international travel expos in collaboration with KTO and top Korean wholesalers. Through these sales missions, the government will vigorously promote niche-tourism products such as golf, marine tourism, wellness, and gastronomy.
“This year the ministry is conducting sales missions and participating in international tourism exhibitions including the Seoul International Travel Fair (SITF), and sales missions in Busan and Gwangju, South Korea,” said Nia, as quoted by Antara.
She added that the Ministry of Tourism sees significant opportunities to develop tourism between the two countries, driven by human-resource development, integrated digital marketing strategies, and niche gastronomic tourism.
Nia noted that South Korea has provided substantial support for developing Indonesia’s tourism workforce through the KOPIST program. The partnership also includes the UN Tourism Executive Training Program, designed to build capacity among national tourism officials.
Accordingly, the government is interested in cooperating with Korea on programs to empower the next generation of tourism professionals through exchanges, scholarships, and internships.
The ministry is implementing an integrated digital marketing strategy under its flagship Tourism 5.0 program. The initiative includes MaiA, a digital travel companion accessible via Indonesia.travel.
MaiA now offers a Korean-language option and helps design curated travel packages that include golf, marine activities, adventure tourism, and culinary and gastronomic experiences.
Previously, Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, held a bilateral meeting with South Korea’s Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Chae Hwi Young, on the sidelines of The 13th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting (TMM13) in Macau SAR, China, on 27 June 2026.
According to a ministry press release confirmed on Monday, June 29, 2026, areas of cooperation discussed included strengthening joint promotion with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and travel agents. The discussions also focused on developing niche gastronomic tourism.
“With a shared vision within the APEC and UN Tourism frameworks, Indonesia and the Republic of Korea have great potential to elevate tourism cooperation to a higher level and deliver tangible benefits for both countries,” said the Minister. ***
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