Saudi Arabia and Indonesia Strengthen Tourism Partnership, Lombok Prepared to Welcome More Arab Tourists
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Toledo (Atnews) - H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and H.E. Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, held a meeting on the sidelines of the 126th Session of the UN Tourism Executive Council in Toledo, Spain, on 11 June 2026.
The ministers discussed ways to strengthen bilateral tourism cooperation, expand visitor flows, and build on the longstanding ties between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb said: “Saudi Arabia and Indonesia share a uniquely strong tourism connection through faith and culture. We are now working closely with our Indonesian partners to enrich that connection, expand tourism exchange, enhance the visitor journey, and create opportunities for our destinations, businesses and communities.”
H.E. Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said: “Saudi Arabia is one of Indonesia’s key partners in the Middle East, and Indonesia stands ready to further deepen this partnership, particularly in tourism, in a spirit of mutual respect and shared benefit.”
During the meeting, the ministers reaffirmed the importance of the Saudi-Indonesian tourism partnership and reviewed the progress made under the existing Memorandum of Understanding.
Additionally, the delegations explored opportunities to expand Indonesian visitor flows to Saudi Arabia across religious and leisure tourism, discussing ways to enrich the journeys of Indonesia’s Hajj and Umrah visitors by introducing them to Saudi Arabia’s wider experiences and destinations beyond Makkah and Madinah.
Simultaneously, Indonesia is preparing to welcome more Saudi tourists. To achieve this, Indonesia has proposed the establishment of Arabic and Hospitality Centers at the Lombok Tourism Polytechnic. This initiative aims to enhance the professional competencies of the Indonesian tourism workforce to better serve and accommodate Arab tourists.
The bilateral meeting was held on the sidelines of the 126th session of the UN Tourism Executive Council, of which both countries are active members, driving collective action and ensuring sustainability, resilience, and inclusion are at the heart of the global tourism sector. (Z/002)
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