Geopark Kaldera Toba Gets UNESCO Yellow Card, Kemenpar Moves Fast To Improve Status

JAKARTA - The Kaldera Toba Geopark received a warning in the form of a "yellow card" from UNESCO, a signal that the management of the region has not fully met the standards set by the world body.

This yellow card appeared in the UNESCO Global Geopark Council forum which was held in Morocco on September 4, 2023. Other geoparks that also received similar records include Zhijindong Cave in China, Luberon Regional National Park in France, Madonie in Italy, and Colca y Volcanes de Andagua in Peru.

Responding to this, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf) immediately summoned the management of Geopark Kaldera Toba to conduct a hearing and a thorough evaluation.

General Manager of the Kaldera Management Agency Toba UNESCO Global Geopark, Dr. Azizul Kholis, said that his party is preparing a number of improvement steps that will take place in the next two months. The latest assessment by the UNESCO team is scheduled for July 15, 2025.

"The Governor of North Sumatra has given great attention to ensure that the Kaldera Toba Geopark can return to its green card status," Azizul said in his official statement in Jakarta, Friday.

Even though his status has decreased, Azizul remains optimistic that this condition can be improved through close collaboration between the central government, regional governments, and other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the Deputy for Destinations and Infrastructure of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Hariyanto, stated that his ministry had prepared a series of concrete actions to answer recommendations given by UNESCO.

Some of the main points of improvement include:

Diversification of geological narratives and expansion of surveys related to geological heritage.

Further innovation of natural wealth, culture, and artificial elements in the geopark region.

Improved visibility through the provision of more effective interpretation and promotional panels.

Strengthening cooperation networks and training with other geoparks in Indonesia.

"We are also facilitating the preparation of a siteplan for priority geosites, which will be carried out in stages until 2026," explained Hariyanto.

Other steps include making interpretative panels in a number of geosites to increase public understanding of the geological values of the region, as well as organizing various MICE events (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, and Exhibition) to raise the profile of the Kaldera Toba destination.

Not only that, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has also allocated a Special Allocation Fund (DAK) for 2024 of IDR 56.6 billion, which is intended for infrastructure development and strengthening human resource capacity in the Lake Toba area.

These funds were distributed to eight districts located in the geopark area, namely Dairi, Karo, Simalungun, North Tapanuli, Toba, Pakpak Bharat, Humbang Hasundutan, and Samosir.

Through these steps, the government hopes that the status of Geopark Kaldera Toba can recover, while maintaining Indonesia's reputation in the global geopark arena.