Indonesia’s tourism is soaring to new heights. The country climbed to 22nd place in the 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index—up ten spots from its previous rank of 32. For a sector still recovering from the pandemic’s blow, this is no small feat.
“This is an extraordinary leap,” said Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa on Wednesday (April 16, 2025), as quoted by detikBali. “From 32nd to 22nd in 2024 (Indonesia’s tourism index)—it’s a remarkable ten-place jump.”
But behind the celebration, officials are uncovering a major concern that could hold Indonesia back from becoming a world-class tourism hub.
“If we break it down and look into the pillars that support tourism, we can see our health and hygiene score is still low and has even declined—from 89 to 82,” Puspa explained.
This pillar—key to tourists’ comfort and safety—has fallen below the Asian average. “If we talk about the Asian average, our score is quite low. Asia averages around 4.6, while we’re at just over 3,” she said.
Puspa believes this challenge demands collective attention. “This must be taken seriously by all of us. If we truly aim to make Indonesia a world-class destination—the number one in the world—with our natural and cultural wealth, then this is a crucial issue,” she emphasized.
With a sense of urgency, the Ministry of Tourism has launched the Clean Tourism Movement—a program designed to tackle waste issues and improve cleanliness at popular tourist destinations. This initiative was introduced following growing complaints from visitors about dirty public areas at several travel sites.
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Labuan Bajo has already hosted the movement’s activities, becoming the third out of eight destinations scheduled in this initial phase. The campaign’s purpose is to build tourist environments that are clean, healthy, and pleasant—not just for travelers, but for local communities as well.
“If we’re committed and united in our awareness, this issue should no longer exist in the future. I believe it can be resolved by 2025,” Puspa said. “Next year, we shouldn’t be struggling with waste anymore. In the following years, we can move on and tackle other tourism-related matters.”
The ministry hopes this momentum will help transform Indonesia into a cleaner, more sustainable destination—one that lives up to its global potential.
