“Global challenges, ranging from geopolitical conflicts, economic uncertainty, and environmental crises to rapid technological developments, have affected tourist behavior and industry dynamics in multiple countries,” Wardhana said during the session held on June 10–11.
She noted in a statement on Saturday that navigating such conditions requires the tourism sector to adapt to sustainability and resilience principles.
She affirmed Indonesia’s readiness to support programs and activities capable of delivering tangible benefits to countries, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
The minister urged the UN Tourism Academy to pivot its programs toward addressing digital and green skills gaps in Asian and island developing countries. This effort will focus specially on empowering youth and women.
“This endeavor is essential to the development of small-scale destinations in Asia and the Pacific,” Wardhana added.
She emphasized that Indonesia is eager to play an active role in endorsing the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism 2027, which focuses on resilience, human resource development, and digital transformation aligned with national tourism agendas.
She highlighted that five rural regions in Indonesia have earned the Best Tourism Villages award from UN Tourism. Meanwhile, more than 6,200 villages are contributing to sustainable development.
As a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration, she continued, Indonesia has launched a road map for tourism decarbonization as part of the global commitment to climate action in the sector.
The minister further voiced support for the UN food waste reduction campaign, Recipe of Change, and promoted Tourism 5.0 through MaiA, Indonesia’s artificial intelligence-powered travel assistant launched last year.
She went on to say that Indonesia is investing greater effort into human resource development through competency standardization and collaboration with UN Tourism, aiming to equip workers with skills needed for future industry demands.
In addition to attending the UN talks, Wardhana convened meetings with her counterparts from Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Saudi Arabia to explore stronger bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
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Translator: Hreeloita D, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Arie Novarina
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