Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs Enforces Compliance on Unlicensed Online Travel Agents to Protect Regional Revenue
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi) is preparing to regulate online travel agent (OTA) platforms that have not obtained the necessary permits, in order to guarantee the safety of tourists, protect regional revenue, and create fair business competition for tourism stakeholders.
This measure will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, after it was discovered that many accommodations are being marketed online without official permits. The Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, affirmed that the protection of tourists and the interests of local communities are the top priorities.
“Our focus is on protecting the interests of the community and the regions. We must ensure that local governments and residents, who should benefit from taxes for development, do not lose out because these businesses are not registered, and the profits end up going to other countries,” said Meutya in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.
She made these remarks while receiving a visit from the Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, at the Kemkomdigi office in Central Jakarta.
Therefore, she affirmed that Kemkomdigi is ready to take firm action against digital platforms that facilitate these illegal practices, ranging from warnings to access restrictions (takedown).
“For OTAs that have not registered as Electronic System Organisers (PSE), we can immediately restrict access. Meanwhile, for those that have registered but continue to market illegal accommodations that do not comply with tourism regulations, we will await recommendations for sanctions from the Ministry of Tourism,” she emphasised.
The Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, said that the tourism sector is one of the main drivers of the national economy, generating foreign exchange of IDR 317.2 trillion in 2025 and contributing approximately 3.97 to 4.8 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product.
Widiyanti explained that monitoring in five key provinces, namely Bali, West Java, Yogyakarta, Jakarta, and NTB, revealed that 72.8 per cent of the monitored accommodations did not have a Business Identification Number (NIB).
“This situation creates unfair business competition for hotels and guesthouses that pay taxes because these villas can offer lower prices. They do not pay taxes, so we lose state and regional revenue,” explained Widiyanti.
The Ministry of Tourism has set a deadline of 31 March 2026 for all OTA platforms to regulate unregistered accommodations on their platforms.
Widiyanti affirmed that only officially permitted accommodations will be allowed to operate on these platforms to guarantee the safety and security of tourists.
According to her, this effort is being made to ensure that the digital ecosystem of tourism continues to grow healthily and that Indonesia’s digital space is protected from illegal business practices that harm the nation’s economic sovereignty.