Tourism Ministry to Take Action Against 1,600 Unlicensed Accommodations on OTAs by August 2026

The Ministry of Tourism has stated it will take action against 1,600 unlicensed accommodations listed on online travel agencies (OTAs) by August 2026. ‘Following form-filling processes, we have recorded approximately 1,600 unlicensed business operators listed on OTAs. We have the data and it has been verified,’ Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said at a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday. Widiyanti explained the move is part of the ministry’s efforts to regulate accommodations in Indonesia and establish a fair, competitive, and sustainable tourism industry. However, owners of unlicensed accommodations can still apply for permits by 1 August 2026. On 2 June 2026, the ministry will notify OTAs of the accommodations to be delisted, with OTAs expected to inform the hosts or merchants one month prior to delisting. ‘They are given two months to process their new permits; if not, they will be delisted from 1 August 2026,’ Widiyanti said. ‘We are not closing them down immediately; we are being collaborative,’ she added. Meanwhile, those who have booked accommodations are advised to verify the licenses, as cancellation policies vary by OTA. ‘They will need to check with each OTA, as policies differ. However, we have instructed OTAs that new merchants applying for listing must now provide their NIB and KBLI numbers, so no new unlicensed businesses can be onboarded from today. This will stop the number of unlicensed operators from increasing,’ she said. She also stated the crackdown is not intended to restrict tourism businesses but to prioritise the sector’s long-term interests. All licensing data will be integrated into an API-based verification system to cover the three key data points: Business Identity Number (NIB), Standard Industrial Classification (KBLI), and Business Activity Number (NKU). The API system is set to launch in June 2027. All data will be used by OTAs and the Ministry of Tourism, integrated with the Online Single Submission (OSS) system, for automatic business licensing verification. Acting Deputy for Industry and Investment at the Ministry of Tourism, Rizki Handayani Mustafa, added that the ministry encourages consumers and travellers to carefully select accommodations with NIB, NKU, and compliant KBLI. The ministry is also collaborating with local governments to implement the policy and maintain data on registered accommodations. ‘We have informed local governments so they can hold the data and conduct direct oversight,’ Rizki said.