Indonesia, Saudi Arabia seek stronger tourism partnership

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The governments of Indonesia and Saudi Arabia are seeking stronger tourism cooperation, including increasing two-way tourist flows.

This was discussed during a meeting between the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the 126th session of the UN Tourism Executive Council in Toledo, Spain, on Thursday (June 11).

"Saudi Arabia is one of Indonesia's key partners in the Middle East, and Indonesia is ready to further deepen this partnership, particularly in the tourism sector," Indonesia's Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said in an official statement confirmed on Saturday.

According to a joint press release, both countries' ministers reaffirmed the importance of the Saudi-Indonesian tourism partnership and reviewed progress made under the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The delegations also explored ways to increase Indonesian visitor numbers to Saudi Arabia for both religious and leisure purposes, focusing on ways to enrich the journeys of Indonesian Hajj and Umrah pilgrims by introducing them to broader experiences and destinations beyond the Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina.

Simultaneously, Indonesia is preparing to welcome more Saudi tourists. To achieve this, Indonesia has proposed establishing an Arabic Language and Hospitality Center at the Lombok Tourism Polytechnic in West Nusa Tenggara.

This initiative aims to boost the professional competency of the Indonesian tourism workforce to better serve and accommodate Arabic-speaking visitors.

Saudi Arabia's

Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb, added that Saudi Arabia and Indonesia share robust tourism ties built on faith and culture.

He stated that his ministry is now working closely with its Indonesian partners to enrich those ties, expand tourism exchanges, increase visits, and unlock opportunities for destinations, businesses, and communities.

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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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