Jakarta, November 19, 2025 – The Europe Today: Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will intensify support for small businesses and creative industry players through a series of strategic programs set for 2026, Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana announced on Tuesday.
“We will continue tourism attraction curation, support MSMEs and creative economy players, and expand the Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet and Wellness programs,” Minister Widiyanti said during a working meeting with Commission VII of the House of Representatives on Monday.
The ministry will also scale up business mentoring aligned with tourism destination development to ensure enterprises can grow sustainably.
MSMEs Dominate Indonesia’s Tourism Sector
Widiyanti noted that micro, small and medium enterprises account for 96.3 percent of the 2.55 million tourism businesses registered in the government’s Online Single Submission system. These enterprises span hotels, restaurants, cafés, travel agencies, leisure venues and other tourism-related services.
With MSMEs forming the backbone of the tourism ecosystem, capacity building remains a top priority. The ministry will expand competency-based training programs to strengthen workforce skills and improve the overall quality of tourism services.
Developing New Travel Patterns
To diversify Indonesia’s tourism offerings, the ministry will design new travel patterns focusing on cultural heritage tourism, Muslim-friendly tourism and marine tourism. These initiatives will integrate MSMEs and creative industry players into curated visitor experiences, helping distribute economic benefits more evenly.
Targeted support for MSMEs in priority regions — including North Sumatra, East Nusa Tenggara and Yogyakarta — will be implemented through the respective Implementing Authority Bodies.
Promoting Indonesian Cuisine and Creative Products
Widiyanti highlighted the planned expansion of S’RASA, a signature initiative promoting Indonesian cuisine on the global stage through menu standardization, culinary curation and support systems for Indonesian restaurants abroad.
She emphasized that incorporating MSME products and creative works into tourism experiences helps build emotional engagement with visitors, enhancing Indonesia’s appeal to international travellers.
“We are committed to providing more space for MSMEs and artists through events and promotion,” she added.
Parliament Calls for Stronger Empowerment Programs
Commission VII Chairman Saleh Partaonan Daulay urged the ministry to develop more structured empowerment programs for MSMEs and the creative economy. He also encouraged maximizing tourism potential derived from local commodities such as coffee and other natural resources.
Indonesia’s strengthened focus on MSMEs and creative industries is expected to play a pivotal role in boosting tourism competitiveness and ensuring inclusive economic growth across the archipelago.
