Ministry Enhances Marine Tourism Safety Standards through Training

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism is raising safety standards at marine tourism destinations thru training programs for destination managers and coastal communities in eight provinces. This step is part of the government's efforts to make Indonesia's marine destinations safer and more competitive in the global tourism market.

The training titled "Enhancing Marine Tourism Safety" will be held in stages from June to July 2026 in Bengkulu, Central Java, Papua, the Riau Islands, East Nusa Tenggara, Jakarta, North Maluku, and Central Sulawesi. This program is part of a central government initiative called the 2026 Assistance Task, which supports regions in improving the quality of tourism services.

Deputy for Human Resources and Institutional Affairs of the Ministry of Tourism, Martini Mohamad Paham, stated in Jakarta on August 11, 2026, that strengthening human resource capacity is an important investment for the competitiveness of Indonesia's marine tourism, one of the country's flagship sectors in the global tourism arena. He emphasized that the great potential of Indonesia's marine tourism needs to be matched with professionals who understand risk management and tourist services.

Each province sends around 30 participants consisting of destination managers, local tourism awareness groups, tour guides, tourism business operators, and coastal residents. The involvement of various groups is designed to ensure that safety standards are applied consistently, from the managing authorities to the community members who interact directly with tourists.

The training materials were delivered by official Indonesian agencies that handle weather and disaster management, namely the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), and the coastal rescue organization Balawista Indonesia. Participants are equipped with the ability to read weather information, recognize potential hazards, and execute emergency response procedures and basic rescue techniques thru field simulations.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, this community capacity strengthening program will be expanded to cover 38 provinces across Indonesia by 2026. Assistant Deputy for Community Capacity Building, Ika Kusuma Permana Sari, conveyed that guarantyd safety in the field is an important factor for the trust of tourists, including foreign tourists, in Indonesia's marine destinations.

Several participants admitted that this training directly improved their readiness in the field. Nurul from the Indonesian Tourism Actors Association (ASPPI) Bengkulu said the training made her more confident in reading weather forecasts and handling emergency situations, while Vernando from the Riau Islands Tourism Awareness Group found the material relevant for strengthening the management of safe and orderly beach tourism.