Indonesia and Saudi Arabia Deepen Tourism Partnership
JAKARTA - The Ministry of Tourism and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia want to deepen tourism partnerships in a meeting on the sidelines of the 126th Session of the UN Tourism Executive Council which took place on June 11, 2026 in Toledo, Spain.
"Saudi Arabia is one of Indonesia's main partners in the Middle East, and Indonesia is ready to further deepen this partnership, especially in the field of tourism, with a spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit," said Tourism Minister Widiyanti Wardhana in an official statement confirmed in Jakarta, Saturday.
In a joint press release, the ministers discussed ways to strengthen bilateral tourism cooperation, expand visitor flows, and build long-standing ties between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
The two also reaffirmed the importance of the Saudi-Indonesian tourism partnership and reviewed the progress that has been achieved based on the existing Memorandum of Understanding.
In addition, the delegation explored opportunities to expand the flow of Indonesian tourists to Saudi Arabia in the field of religious and recreational tourism, discussing ways to enrich the journey of Indonesian pilgrims and umrah by introducing them to the wider experience and destinations of Saudi Arabia outside Mecca and Medina.
At the same time, Indonesia is preparing to welcome more Saudi tourists. To achieve this, Indonesia has proposed the establishment of an Arabic Language and Hospitality Center at the Lombok Tourism Polytechnic.
This initiative aims to improve the professional competence of Indonesian tourism workers so that they can better serve and accommodate Arab tourists.
The Minister of Tourism from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ahmed Al Khateeb added that Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have a very strong tourism relationship through faith and culture.
"We are now working closely with our Indonesian partners to enrich these relationships, expand tourism exchanges, increase visitor travel, and create opportunities for our destinations, businesses, and communities," he said.