Indonesia Shifts Tourism Focus to Cultural, Nature Experiences

New Strategy for Visitor Engagement

Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism is shifting its strategy to promote experiences centred on local culture, nature, and heritage, moving beyond conventional tourist sites. The government initiative, called "Go Beyond Ordinary", aims to broaden visitor engagement across the archipelago.

Ni Made Ayu Marthini, the Ministry of Tourism's deputy for marketing, stated at the recent Indonesia Tourism and MICE Outlook 2027 that this approach focuses on developing products based on Indonesia's diverse local assets. These include gastronomy, wellness, marine tourism, textiles, as well as arts and culture.

The campaign reflects a drive to use Indonesia's tourism potential more comprehensively, encouraging travellers to explore destinations in new ways. This strategic pivot, announced on 20 October 2026, seeks to enhance the quality of the nation's tourism offerings.

Expanding Destination Options

The new strategy involves combining multiple experiences within a single destination or using one area of interest to introduce visitors to other locations. For instance, the Ministry of Tourism points to Yogyakarta and Solo, which can offer integrated packages of gastronomy, textiles, arts, and traditions.

Similarly, Labuan Bajo provides opportunities to link wildlife and marine activities with adventure tourism and the cultural heritage of Flores. Iconic sites like Prambanan or Borobudur temples could be incorporated into walking tours that blend historical exploration with local arts, culture, textile traditions, and surrounding natural beauty. This approach allows travellers to engage more deeply with a destination's unique characteristics during one trip.

Industry Perspectives on Development

Industry leaders have also weighed in on developing these experience-led offerings. Fadli Fahmi Ali, CEO of Werkudara Group, emphasised that creating such experiences requires extensive research into the stories, traditions, and people behind each destination before translating them into visitor activities.

He stressed the need for product standardisation to ensure consistent delivery and value for travellers. Haryadi Sukamdani, chairman of the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI), highlighted the importance of continuity and long-term planning in government tourism programmes.

He called for assessing regional potential, establishing supportive regulations, providing investment incentives, and creating public-private partnership frameworks to attract necessary capital.

Implications for Travellers and Operators

This shift towards experience-led tourism requires operators to adapt their offerings, focusing on comprehensive packages that blend various local elements. Erastus Radjimin, founder and CEO of Artotel Group, noted the importance of understanding current lifestyle trends, such as the growing interest in healthy living.

Artotel Group plans to respond by introducing a Wanderlust Recovery Centre, complete with gym facilities, and by developing enhanced sleep experiences, acknowledging the role of health trackers in modern travel decisions. For travellers, this strategy means a wider array of curated, immersive activities will become available in Indonesia, moving beyond conventional sightseeing.

The success of this long-term vision will depend on sustained government policy and effective public-private collaboration to translate local assets into consistently high-quality, meaningful travel products.