Indonesia Promotes Digital Tourism at APEC, Travelers Will Experience Easier Vacations

The future of the tourism industry no longer relies solely on the scenic appeal of destinations. In this digital era, fast, seamless, and personalised travel experiences have become the primary priority for travellers. Responding to this global trend, Indonesia is advancing digital transformation as the new foundational pillar for Asia-Pacific tourism development through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

This commitment was delivered by Indonesian Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana during the 13th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting (TMM13) hosted in Macau SAR, China on Saturday, 27 June 2026.

Widiyanti emphasised that technology is no longer a supplementary feature for the tourism sector. Instead, it functions as a core driving force capable of delivering simpler, more inclusive, and environmentally sustainable travel experiences.

Digital Transformation as the Future of Asia-Pacific Tourism

At this ministerial-level forum, Indonesia called on all APEC member economies to harness digital innovation to build a more resilient tourism ecosystem amid shifting global traveller behaviour patterns.

"As a nation undergoing large-scale nationwide digital transformation, Indonesia believes that combining smart technology with community-centred collaboration is the correct approach to build a robust, inclusive, and integrated tourism ecosystem across the entire region," she stated, as quoted in an official ministry press release issued on Monday.

She further noted that technology adoption must deliver both improved travel experiences for visitors and direct economic benefits for local communities.

During the discussion panel on digital technology and emerging innovations in tourism, Indonesia highlighted that digitalisation is the clear pathway toward higher-value tourism industries.

"We believe digital innovation must serve as the bridge to transition our region away from mass tourism models, toward high-value, high-quality, and sustainable tourism," she stated.

This framework aligns with the global shift toward quality tourism: an approach that prioritises authentic visitor experiences, environmental stewardship and equitable economic benefits for local populations, rather than only maximising raw visitor arrival numbers.

QRIS to AI: Technologies Simplifying the Traveller Experience

Indonesia also urged APEC member states to accelerate inclusive digital transformation by closing digital literacy gaps and expanding equitable digital access for all communities.

One practical example presented was the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) payment system. Cross-border integration of this digital payment infrastructure is projected to streamline travel transactions while strengthening regional economic connectivity.

For travellers, interoperable cross-border digital payment systems remove the burden of carrying physical cash, reduce transaction waiting times, and deliver a far more comfortable travel experience across multiple regional destinations.

Alongside digital payments, Indonesia also introduced MaiA, an artificial intelligence (AI) powered travel planning platform developed by the Ministry of Tourism.

This system is designed to match travellers with destinations aligned to their personal interests, generate fully customised travel itineraries, and support targeted promotion for Indonesian tourism sites.

Such data-driven systems also enable destination authorities to implement smarter management practices, from regulating visitor crowd density to raising overall service standards.

MSMEs and Workforce Capacity as Foundations for Digital Tourism

Beyond improving traveller experiences, Indonesia raised the critical priority of upskilling micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to enable local tourism operators to leverage digital tools for business growth.

Digitalisation is recognised to unlock expanded access to international markets for local MSMEs, widen their product reach, and raise the overall competitiveness of regional tourism destinations.

In parallel, improving digital literacy for tourism sector workers was identified as an urgent priority, to ensure the workforce can adapt to the fast pace of technological change.

"Digital innovation must be a unifying tool for inclusive development, not a barrier that leaves communities behind," Widiyanti stated.

"Indonesia stands ready to collaborate with all APEC economies to build a technologically advanced, resilient, inclusive future for tourism, and ensure no group is excluded from the benefits of this transformation," she added.

As formal confirmation of this commitment, Indonesia has endorsed implementation of the APEC Tourism Strategic Plan 2025–2029, the Putrajaya Vision 2040, and all regional initiatives to streamline cross-border travel facilitation across the Asia-Pacific.

For travellers globally, the coordinated digital transformation being advanced by APEC nations will deliver increasingly seamless travel experiences: including simplified cross-border payments, AI-powered personalised destination recommendations, and more efficient, customised travel services across the region.