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REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, Minister of Tourism received Professor Talip Küçükcan, Ambassador of Türkiye to Indonesia on (19/9/2025) to discuss strenghtening tourism relations between the two countries. It was noted during the meeting Türkiye and Indonesia share deep historical ties as well as shared cultural values that would contribute to the the tourism sector.
Indonesian Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana noted that relations between Turkey and Indonesia date back to the 16th century. She noted that the Ottoman Empire opened a consulate general in Batavia, now known as Jakarta, in the 1880s, and that there are strong cultural ties between Turkey and Indonesia. Minister Wardhana also said that Turkey and Indonesia are close allies, working together within the UN, OIC, MIKTA, and D8.
Minister Wardhana said that they are closely following Turkey's success in the tourism sector, noting that new tourism destinations have been identified in Indonesia and that international airports have been opened to provide access to these destinations. She stated that Indonesia want to develop cooperation opportunities in this field, drawing on her country's experience and knowledge in the field of healing tourism. She added that Indonesian personnel trained in this field could be employed in Turkey. Minister Wardhana added that her country also offers a wealth of options in the field of halal tourism.
During the meeting with Indonesian Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, Ambassador of Türkiye to Jakarta Talip Küçükcan reported that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Prabowo Subianto met twice, first in Jakarta and second in Ankara, in the first quarter of 2025, marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Indonesia. The first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was held in Bogor, and 15 agreements were signed during the both meetings. Ambassador Küçükcan added that Turkey has a very strong tourism infrastructure, making significant progress in areas such as transportation, accommodation, gastronomy, and the employment of qualified personnel. He added that 62 million tourists visited Turkey in 2024, generating $61 billion in revenue.
Ambassador Küçükcan stated that 200,000 Indonesian citizens visited Turkey in 2024. 50,000 Turks visited Indonesia in the same period. He added that supporting halal tourism, which reflects shared cultural values, would be beneficial to increase this number. He also noted that cities like Konya, Kayseri, Bursa, and Mardin, in addition to Istanbul, could also attract Indonesians' interest in cultural tourism. Ambassador Küçükcan also stated that Turkey's healthcare system and institutions provide high-quality services, that Indonesians can safely receive high-quality and affordable diagnostic and treatment services from private and public healthcare facilities in Turkey, and that they are open to joint projects to support health tourism.
Ambassador Küçükcan stated that Turkey's Green Star program, launched in 2008, and the Safe Tourism Certificate Program launched during the COVID-19 pandemic have had positive impacts on the tourism sector. He also touched on the Zero Waste project, initiated by First Lady Emine Erdoğan, which made a positive impact on particularly in terms of green transformation and sustainability in tourism. He added that similar initiatives will also positively contribute to Indonesian tourism and that Turkey would be pleased to share its Zero Waste experiences.
Ambassador Küçükcan and Minister Wardhana also discussed increasing reciprocal investments, Turkish Airlines' request to double the number of flights to Jakarta, initiating exchange programs between educational institutions specializing in tourism, participating as guests of honor at tourism fairs, and expanding and updating the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism, signed in 1993.
sumber : Rilis
