Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana announced that 25,344 tour guides across the country have obtained competency certifications, enhancing service standards and tourism safety in Indonesia.
In a meeting with Commission VII of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta, she highlighted that her ministry is prioritizing safety and security at tourist sites.
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Statistics indicate that the count of search and rescue (SAR) missions increased to 229 instances in 2025, compared to 181 instances in 2024. In the meantime, the figure for the year-to-date from January 1 to June 14, 2026, has already totaled 111 cases.
Regarding casualties, the count rose to 384 individuals in 2025, up from the 311 victims noted the year before. From January 1 to June 14, 2026, the total is 139 individuals. As a result, the Ministry of Tourism has prioritized enhancing tourism safety as a key initiative, promoting it vigorously this year and intending to continue it into the next year.
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The Ministry of Tourism is working to enhance the skills of personnel in the tourism industry. By 2026, training and certifications based on competencies emphasize occupational safety and health (OSH) elements, engaging both communities and associations. The minister highlighted that 10 competency-focused training programs have taken place in five areas, successfully engaging 700 participants.
Furthermore, 23 competency certification programs were held across 20 sites, achieving the goal of 1,150 attendees. These efforts engaged a wider audience than in 2025. She indicated that the areas encompass mountain guiding, hiking, water tourism safety, rafting, snorkeling, ecotourism, and fishing, with a focus on implementation in regions with elevated accident risks.
Moreover, the Ministry of Tourism aims to attract 19.1 million international tourists to Indonesia by 2027.
The number surpasses the government's goal for 2026 of drawing in 16 million to 17.6 million foreign tourists. She emphasized that next year’s priority programs will center on fostering quality and sustainable tourism, with key activities including finalizing 10 priority destinations and creating three regenerative destinations.
Economic growth nationally is estimated to be between 5.8 and 6.5 percent, while sectors connected to tourism, including accommodation, food, and beverage, are expected to expand more rapidly at rates of 8.7 to 9.3 percent. To achieve this goal, the Ministry of Tourism has devised various actions, such as enhancing human resource quality, advancing tourism marketing, creating quality attractions and events, bolstering sustainable tourism, developing destinations, and fostering an inclusive industry and supply chain.
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Multiple goals have been established, with foreign tourist arrivals projected at 17.6–19.1 million, reflecting an increase of about 8.5–10 percent. Expenditure by foreign tourists, or Average Spending per Arrival (ASPA), aims to hit US$1,447–1,497, marking a rise of about 5.5–6.6 percent. The rise in foreign tourist activity is anticipated to generate US$25.5 -- 28.6 billion in tourism foreign exchange, indicating a growth of roughly 16 percent from the prior year.
In the meantime, trips taken by domestic tourists aim to hit 1.28 billion, indicating an 8.5 percent rise from 2026. The tourism industry is also expected to employ 27.33 million workers, signifying a 3 percent rise.