Tourism Ministry Urges Tourists to Avoid Booking Accommodation on Social Media
Tourism Minister Widyanti Putri Wardhana has stated that the government, through the Ministry of Tourism, will tighten oversight of accommodation services sold via social media. This move aims to ensure the safety and security of tourists.
“It’s natural that when delisted from online travel agencies, operators seek alternative platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. However, this will become a future issue as these platforms do not guarantee safety. Scams are increasingly prevalent,” she said during a meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday, 26 May 2026.
The Tourism Ministry recently received reports from the Yogyakarta Tourism Office regarding suspected accommodation fraud cases. Local authorities have since tightened regulations on such services.
Given these cases, she urged the public to exercise caution when booking accommodations. “We advise tourists to book directly with hotels or travel agents rather than through social media,” she added.
Social media bookings will be a priority for the government moving forward. The Ministry of Tourism will collaborate with the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs to regulate and monitor illegal accommodation sales on these platforms.
Tourism Ministry Develops API System with OTAs to Strengthen Accommodation Management
The Ministry of Tourism is strengthening collaboration with Online Travel Agent (OTA) partners to organise the national tourism digital ecosystem by developing an Application Programming Interface (API) verification system to ensure all digitally marketed accommodations hold valid business permits.
The initiative is designed to sustain the tourism industry ecosystem, protect tourist rights and satisfaction, foster a healthy and orderly business environment, and promote effective digital governance.
“Our policy direction is clear. We aim to cultivate a fair and competitive tourism industry for sustainable growth,” said Tourism Minister Widyanti.
The API system is currently in internal development stages before being integrated with partner OTAs.