Minister Targets Green Card Status for Ijen Geopark in UNESCO Revalidation

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana is targeting a ‘green card’ status for the Ijen Geopark by optimising preparations for the UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGp) revalidation process. “Our target is to maintain the green card predicate as proof that the area’s management has been able to balance conservation, education, and community empowerment aspects,” she said in an official statement confirmed in Jakarta on Sunday. During a visit to Banyuwangi, East Java, on Saturday (25/7), Widiyanti emphasised that the revalidation process is not only an effort to maintain international recognition but also a momentum to strengthen destination governance based on conservation, education, and community empowerment. She stated that strengthening coordination and collaboration among all parties is crucial so that every recommendation from UNESCO assessors can be followed up optimally, from strengthening the promotion of geological heritage to improving accessibility and developing partnerships. “The management of Ijen Crater must always prioritise tourist safety aspects and the principles of quality and sustainable tourism,” she said. The green card predicate is necessary because Ijen has officially held UNESCO Global Geopark status since 9 September 2023. The geopark area covers approximately 4,723 square kilometres, encompassing the Banyuwangi and Bondowoso regencies, and features 21 geosites, 6 biosites, 10 culture sites, and 8 intangible cultural heritages. One of its main attractions is the blue fire phenomenon and a crater lake with the highest acidity level in the world. Along with the increasing number of tourist visits, she requested all parties to improve the quality of amenities, cleanliness, security, comfort, waste management, destination storytelling, and human resource capacity to enhance the quality of the tourist experience. “A quality tourism experience will be the key to increasing the destination’s competitiveness while providing greater economic benefits to the community,” Widiyanti said. She also visited the Osing Kemiren Tourism Village, which previously won the 2024 Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI) and was selected for the UN Tourism Best Tourism Villages Upgrade Programme 2025. Ijen is scheduled to undergo the revalidation process by a UNESCO assessor team on 3–7 August 2026. Revalidation is a comprehensive evaluation of the area’s management quality to ensure UNESCO standards are continuously met. Tourist visits to Banyuwangi continue to show a positive trend, partly supported by the attraction of the Ijen Geopark. Throughout 2025, East Java Province recorded more than 82.3 million domestic tourist visits and around 521 thousand international tourist visits. Meanwhile, Banyuwangi Regency received approximately 529 thousand domestic tourist visits and 73 thousand international tourist visits throughout 2025.