Tourism Ministry Promotes Tourism Villages as an Edu-tourism Attraction

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Tourism (Kemenpar), in collaboration with Garuda Indonesia and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in Sydney, expands the Australian educational tourism (EduTourism) market by showcasing Indonesian tourism villages as learning spaces that blend history, art, culture, the environment, and local community life.

Ni Made Ayu Marthini, the Ministry's Deputy for Marketing, in Jakarta on Friday, August 14, 2026, stated that educational tourism presents an opportunity to present Indonesia not merely as a holiday destination, but also as a "living classroom" offering learning experiences rooted in culture, nature, and community life.

"We aim to demonstrate that Indonesia offers authentic and memorable learning experiences—not only in Bali but also in various other premier destinations. We believe that the hands-on learning experiences and networks fostered through this program will open up broader opportunities for developing the educational travel segment across various destinations in Indonesia," Ni Made Ayu said.

To this end, the Ministry organized a series of promotional activities on 3-4 August 2026, beginning with the "Indonesia Goes to School: Experience Wonderful Indonesia in the Classroom" event at Claremont College, Sydney.

This event introduced Indonesian educational tourism experiences directly to school principals, teachers, and students through a variety of interactive workshops. Participants engaged in a batik-making session with the Wukirsari Tourism Village, learned traditional dance with the Taro Tourism Village, and took part in playing the angklung and crafting items from hanjeli (Job's tears) seeds.

They also participated in a storytelling session hosted by the Indonesian Language and Culture Centre (NSW), featuring an educational book about hanjeli sourced from the Hanjeli Tourism Village. This series of activities offered a cross-cultural experience while demonstrating to students that Indonesia's rich culture and community life can serve as an integral part of the hands-on learning process.

According to her, educational travel represents a high-value segment of high-value tourism. Its nature fosters longer stays and cultivates deeper interactions between travelers and the local community, culture, and educational ecosystem of the destination.

This market potential is further bolstered by the significant volume of travel undertaken by the younger generation globally. The WYSE Travel Confederation and UN Tourism project that, out of approximately 350 million young people expected to travel in 2025, 23 percent will be students.

Australia stands as a strategic market for Indonesian tourism. Throughout 2025, Australian tourist visits to Indonesia totaled 1,754,791, making Australia the second-largest source market for international visitors for the country.

This trend continued into 2026. By June 2026, Australian tourist visits to Indonesia had reached 864,750—an increase of 6.29 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

"The youth travel industry continues to hold immense potential as a force for good. Beyond its economic impact, this segment fosters knowledge exchange, builds international networks, and strengthens Indonesia's image as a high-quality destination for learning," Ni Made Ayu conveyed.