Tourism Minister Urges Tourists to Avoid Social Media Hotel Bookings to Prevent Scams

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has urged tourists not to book accommodations via social media platforms. This came as the government announced plans to remove unlicensed accommodations from Online Travel Agents (OTAs) by 1 June 2027.

“If they are delisted from OTAs, they will find other ways to market themselves, such as on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok,” Widi said during a press conference titled “Improving the Quality of Tourism Business Ecosystem Management in the Accommodation Sector” at the Ministry of Tourism on Tuesday, 26 May 2026.

However, Widi warned of potential scams when booking accommodations via social media. She revealed receiving reports from the Yogyakarta Tourism Office about a surge in accommodation fraud cases in the student city.

“We advise tourists to book directly with hotels or travel agents rather than through social media,” Widi said.

Widi stated that social media accommodation bookings would be the next focus after cleaning up unlicensed OTAs. She added that the Ministry of Tourism will collaborate with the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs to create regulations overseeing illegal accommodation rentals on social media platforms.

“We hope regulations will be implemented in the near future,” Widi added.

Previously, the government issued an ultimatum to accommodation businesses to comply with licensing requirements. According to Government Regulation No. 28 of 2025, all businesses must operate legally, Widi said.

“Many tourism businesses lack proper licenses, which affects revenue for both central and local governments,” she added.

Widi said the government is developing an API-based verification system integrated with OSS data and OTA platforms. She aims to have the system operational within 12 months as a deadline for accommodation verification.

“We have set a 12-month period from 1 June 2026 to 1 June 2027. From 1 June 2027, the system will automatically verify which villas or accommodations are licensed or unlicensed. Unlicensed ones will be delisted starting 1 June using the API process,” Widi said.