Indonesia is placing tourism at the center of its efforts to create more inclusive economic growth and ensure development reaches communities across the country. To support that goal, the government has identified tourism villages and the Event by Indonesia program as two of its key priorities for 2026.
The focus was outlined by Muhammad Qodari, Head of the Government Communications Agency (Bakom) of the Republic of Indonesia. According to him, the Ministry of Tourism has prepared five flagship programs that will guide the sector’s development next year.
Those programs include tourism safety enhancement, quality tourism, Event by Indonesia, tourism villages, and Tourism 5.0. While all five initiatives play important roles, the government sees tourism villages and Event by Indonesia as particularly important in driving equitable economic growth throughout Indonesia.
“In the context of inclusive growth and balanced development, the two programs receiving the greatest focus are tourism villages and Event by Indonesia,” Qodari said in an official statement on Wednesday (June 17, 2026).
The government’s strategy for tourism villages goes beyond simply increasing their numbers. Equal attention is being given to improving the quality of management and strengthening the overall competitiveness of destinations.
At present, Indonesia has more than 6,200 tourism villages spread across the country. To improve standards, the government has introduced a range of certification programs for tourism village operators. One of the key initiatives involves halal certification carried out in collaboration with the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH).
The certification effort has already reached a significant scale. As of May 29, 2026, a total of 31,548 certifications had been issued across 1,116 tourism villages.
Support for tourism villages does not stop at certification. The government also provides guidance on destination management and works closely with strategic partners to strengthen competitiveness and improve the quality of visitor experiences.
These efforts have produced measurable results. Fifty tourism villages that won the 2024 Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI) and received government assistance reported substantial growth in visitor numbers.
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Tourist arrivals to those villages increased by 44.8%, climbing from 1.6 million visits to 2.32 million visits.
The economic impact has been equally notable. Revenue generated by the same tourism villages rose by 29.41%, increasing from Rp46 billion to Rp59.6 billion.
Alongside the tourism village initiative, the Ministry of Tourism is also expanding the reach of Event by Indonesia through continued support for regional events included in the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) program.
The initiative has already demonstrated its ability to generate significant economic benefits. Throughout 2025, the program successfully organized 98 events across various regions.
Those events attracted a combined 10.8 million visitors and generated economic activity valued at Rp7 trillion.
The impact extended beyond visitor spending. A total of 15,400 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) participated in the events, while 219,100 workers, artists, and community members benefited from the activities.
By prioritizing tourism villages and Event by Indonesia, the government aims to ensure that tourism growth is not concentrated in a handful of destinations. Instead, the strategy is designed to spread economic opportunities more evenly, strengthen local communities, and create broader benefits for regions throughout the country.
