Minister: 25,000 Tour Guides Nationally Certified

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana stated that 25,344 tour guides nationwide have obtained competency certification to carry out their duties at tourist destinations. “The number of tour guides with competency certification has now reached more than 25,000 nationally. This means more tourism human resources have recognised competencies according to national standards, which can support improved service quality and tourism safety,” Widiyanti said during a working meeting with Commission VII of the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Wednesday. Widiyanti said the government, through the Ministry of Tourism, is paying serious attention to the safety and security aspects of tourism at destinations. In terms of casualties, the figure reached 384 people in 2025, up from 311 the previous year. In the period from 1 January to 14 June 2026, there were 139 people. Therefore, the Ministry has made Tourism Safety one of its flagship programmes, driven massively this year and to be continued next year. “The aspect of tourism safety must continue to be promoted with a vision of achieving zero accidents and building 100 per cent trust in Indonesian tourism,” Widiyanti said. The Ministry of Tourism is also intervening through improving the competency of human resources in the tourism sector. In 2026, competency-based training and certification are focused on Occupational Health and Safety (K3) aspects, involving associations and the community. The Minister noted that 10 Competency-Based Training sessions have been conducted in five locations, reaching a target of 700 participants, and 23 competency certifications in 20 locations, reaching a target of 1,150 participants. These activities reached more participants compared to 2025. “These activities cover mountain tour guides, hiking, water tourism safety, rafting, snorkelling, fruit, ecotourism, and even fishing. Implementation is prioritised in locations with higher accident risk levels,” she said.