Raja Ampat to Undergo UNESCO Global Geopark Revalidation in August 2026

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com – Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana continued her second day of working visit to Raja Ampat Regency, focusing on strengthening the governance of world-class tourism destinations and preparations for the UNESCO Global Geopark revalidation.

Raja Ampat is scheduled to undergo a revalidation process by a UNESCO assessment team in August 2026. The process is a comprehensive evaluation to determine the continuation of Raja Ampat’s UNESCO Global Geopark status.

During her visit to the Piaynemo Geosite on Tuesday (12/5/2026), Minister Widiyanti emphasized that the UNESCO Global Geopark status must be maintained through strong governance, tangible conservation efforts, and the involvement of local communities.

The Minister underlined the importance of synergy between environmental protection, governance strengthening, and community empowerment so that the benefits of tourism can be sustained in the long term.

In the same visit, the Minister also inspected Arborek Village, which received the 2021 Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI). The village is regarded as an example of ecotourism development that integrates community economic growth with the preservation of culture and marine ecosystems.

The Minister stated that Arborek Village demonstrates how ecotourism can effectively integrate economic development with cultural preservation and marine conservation.

“Arborek Village is real proof that ecotourism is not just a concept on paper. Here we see how communities can thrive economically without neglecting their ancestral heritage and the preservation of the sea. Arborek’s success should serve as an inspiration for other tourism villages in Indonesia,” said the Minister.

The visit continued to Kri Island in Meos Mansar District, where the Minister observed a shark conservation program at Sorido Bay Resort. During the visit, she named one of the zebra shark eggs currently in incubation “Putri,” which is expected to hatch soon.

The naming activity was part of the broader observation of the shark conservation program at Sorido Bay Resort.

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