Australia Aims For The Beauty Of The Indonesian Sea, Raja Ampat Becomes A New Primadona

Raja Ampat is a diving and prima donna destination for Australian tourists. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Known as one of the most stunning underwater paradises in the world, Raja Ampat continues to attract the attention of experienced divers with coral reef wealth, water clarity, and biodiversity that are difficult to find elsewhere.

Starting from a group of fish dancing between colorful corals to encounters with giant manta, this area becomes a magnet for tourists who prioritize quality and sustainable diving experience.

The Ministry of Tourism has strengthened Raja Ampat's promotion as a premium destination to Australian tourists, underlining the importance of conservation to maintain the quality and sustainability of its marine ecosystem.

"As a leading destination, sustainability is the key so that the underwater beauty of Raja Ampat is maintained," said Deputy for Marketing, Ni Made Ayu Marthini, in an official statement confirmed in Jakarta, as quoted by ANTARA.

This promotional effort was carried out through the Familiarization Trip (famtrip) program titled Beyond the Barrier: Raja Ampat Awaits! , in collaboration with Katembe Indonesia. The activity took place from November 26 to December 2, 2025, focusing on expanding Australia's market attention to the charm of Raja Ampat's marine and other Indonesian diving destinations.

This famtrip is designed to strengthen Indonesia's image as a world-class marine tourism center, especially for the professional divers community and underwater photographers. The participants involved consisted of four representatives of the Australian diving industry and underwater photographers, namely Dive Adventures Australia, Diveplanit Travel Pty Ltd, Pro Dive Sydney, and Nigel Marsh Photography.

Australia was chosen as the main target because the country has a community of divers with high interest in international standard diving spots, thus potentially increasing marine tourism visits to Indonesia.

During the program, participants explored a number of well-known diving spots such as Mioskon, Friwen Wall, Batu Lima, Blue Magic, Sawandarek, airshed, Manta Sandy, Melissa's Garden, to Piaynemo. They also enjoy cultural experiences in Wisatasirek Village, including interacting with local communities known as Vinking Papua and watching the iconic Piarynemo karst landscape.

Thanks to the support of Katembe Indonesia and the Provincial Government of Southwest Papua, the participants stayed at Katembe Private Island and enjoyed the natural beauty that made Raja Ampat one of the centers of world megabiodiversity.

At the end of the activity, the participants attended a business networking session with Indonesian marine industry players in Le Meridien Jakarta. The meeting was chaired by Assistant Deputy for Marketing for Foreign Tourism II, Yulia, and was attended by representatives of Katembe Indonesia, the DKI Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Office, and a number of associations such as PADI, ASITA, INTOA, and JANGKAR.

Made emphasized that this famtrip program is a strategic step to strengthen Indonesia's position as an international diver destination, as well as support the target of visiting 1.8 million Australian tourists, especially from the marine tourism and divers segment.

Meanwhile, BPS 2024 data shows that more than 49 percent or around 820 thousand Australian tourists choose Indonesia to enjoy the charm of the sea.