Indonesia, South Korea Explore Expanded Tourism Cooperation to Promote Sustainable Growth
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia and South Korea have explored an expanded framework for tourism cooperation aimed at promoting sustainable growth, enhancing joint promotional efforts and creating new investment opportunities in the sector.
The initiative was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Indonesian Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana and South Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi Young on the sidelines of the 13th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Macau on June 27, according to a Tourism Ministry press release confirmed on Monday.
The discussions focused on strengthening collaborative tourism promotion through the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and local travel agencies, while also advancing gastronomy as a key segment of special-interest tourism.
“With a shared vision within the framework of APEC and UN Tourism, Indonesia and the Republic of Korea have a great opportunity to elevate our tourism cooperation to a more advanced level and deliver tangible benefits for both nations,” Minister Widiyanti said.
She expressed optimism that the bilateral meeting would pave the way for new investment and development opportunities across a range of strategic sectors, further strengthening tourism ties between the two countries.
Widiyanti noted that South Korea continues to be one of Indonesia’s key source markets for international tourist arrivals and welcomed Seoul’s temporary visa-free entry programme for Indonesian tour groups, which came into effect on May 28.
The Indonesian Tourism Ministry said the country’s active participation in the APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting reaffirmed its commitment to promoting sustainable tourism development across the Asia-Pacific region.
Indonesia’s regional tourism strategy focuses on accelerating digital innovation, enhancing cross-border collaboration and empowering local communities as well as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to benefit from tourism-driven economic growth.
The Indonesian delegation also reaffirmed its support for the implementation of the APEC Tourism Strategic Plan 2025–2029, the Putrajaya Vision 2040, and the recommendations of a recent APEC study aimed at improving travel facilitation and connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region.
