Parents Opt for Educational Tourism During School Holidays

This year’s school holidays have become a momentum for families to enjoy travel experiences that are not only entertaining but also rich in educational value. Through the #DiIndonesiaAja campaign themed ‘A New Way of Holiday’, the public is invited to explore a tourism concept based on interactive play that introduces culture, nature, and the life of tourism villages to children via the ‘Liburan ke Kampung Main’ programme. The programme, organised by the Ministry of Tourism, presents a variety of educational play activities designed to provide a different holiday experience for families. From educational games and thematic workshops to digital adventures, the entire series of activities is packaged to introduce the richness of Indonesian culture while instilling the value of sustainability from an early age. The event is held at Kampung Main Co-Branding Wonderful Indonesia in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), Jakarta, from 1 to 5 July 2026. Visitors can participate in the ‘Petualangan Jagung’ game, which highlights the farm-to-table concept, collaborative workshops themed around gastronomy, cultural heritage and maritime affairs, traditional textiles, art and design, wellness, and various other educational activities. The public can also take part in a digital scavenger hunt from 22 June to 5 July 2026. Through this game, participants are invited to complete various challenges with the chance to win a grand prize of four staycation vouchers for four winners and other prizes. For those unable to visit TMII, the game can be accessed at a number of Co-Branding Wonderful Indonesia partner destinations in various regions, such as HeHa Waterfall Bogor, HeHa Forest Sleman, Plaza Ambarrukmo and Plaza Malioboro Yogyakarta, Pramana Craft, Van Bloemen 1881 Sleman, and Jatim Park Malang. Visitors simply scan a QR Code at these locations to start the game, which is inspired by the #DiIndonesiaAja travel journey in discovering regional icons across Indonesia. Deputy for Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism, Ni Made Ayu Marthini, stated that the programme is part of an effort to present a new, enjoyable way to encourage the public to travel domestically while introducing tourism villages to children. This step is also in line with the positive trend in the national tourism sector, where foreign tourist arrivals from January to April 2026 reached 4.68 million visits, an increase of 8.24% compared to the same period the previous year. ‘Through Liburan ke Kampung Main, we want to provide a school holiday experience that is not only entertaining but also educational. Children can come to Kampung Main as a destination rich in culture, local wisdom, and sustainability values. We believe Generation Alpha plays an important role as future tourists and agents of change who will determine the face of our tourism in the future,’ said Ni Made on Monday (29/6). According to her, education on sustainable tourism needs to be introduced early so that children develop a concern for the environment and an appreciation for local culture. ‘By providing fun, hands-on experiences, we hope children can understand the importance of preserving, understanding, and appreciating local culture, such as the process of processing harvests from the garden to the dining table. This activity is also part of the effort to realise quality and sustainable tourism. Ultimately, they can become a generation that supports the development of tourism villages and is inspired that #DiIndonesiaAja is an exciting holiday choice to enjoy with family,’ she concluded. The Liburan ke Kampung Main programme is a continuation of various sustainability education initiatives from the Co-Branding Wonderful Indonesia collaboration. Since 2025, more than 289.4 kg of recycled materials and packaging waste from partners have been processed into Wonderful Indonesia totem installations as a medium for educating the public on waste management and the preservation of tourist destinations.