Indonesia sets up Tourism Sector Skills Committee to foster employment and workforce development

JAKARTA, Indonesia (ILO News) - The Ministry of Tourism, in partnership with the ILO’s Global Accelerator (GA) on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transition Project, organized a national workshop that brought together representatives from the tourism sector and relevant government ministries on 22 July. During the event, participating ministries expressed their appreciation for the tourism industry's contributions and praised the Ministry of Tourism for its leadership in officially establishing the Tourism Sector Skills Committee (Tourism SSC).

This milestone was achieved through the issuance of Tourism Ministerial Decision Letter No. SK/31/HK.01.02/MP/2025 in June 2025, which formalizes the Working Group of the Sectoral Committee on the Revitalization of Vocational Education and Training in the Tourism Sector. The Decision Letter was made possible with support from the ILO through various initiatives and projects, including the GA project, since 2020. Its issuance signifies the tourism industry's proactive role in driving skills development and job creation.

The Decision Letter mandates that the Working Group, supervised by the Deputy for Human Resources and Institutions at the Ministry of Tourism, is chaired by a representative from the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Indonesia and includes 52 members from key stakeholders, including the ILO. Its core responsibilities include identifying labour market needs, shaping occupational maps and qualification frameworks, reviewing competency standards, advising on vocational curricula, supporting apprenticeships and field training, aligning training providers with industry advancements and coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies.

The Decision Letter stipulates that the Working Group will operate in alignment with the national strategy for revitalizing vocational education and training, applying principles of coordination, integration, and policy synchronization across planning and budgeting. Funding will be sourced from the Ministry of Tourism’s State Budget, other relevant ministries or institutions and lawful funding sources as permitted by existing regulations.

Through the GA Project, supported by the Joint SDG Fund, the ILO will continue offering technical expertise and sharing international best practices to support the Committee’s implementation.

Hirania Wiryasti, National Project Coordinator of the ILO’s GA Project

The national workshop was followed by the first meeting of the Tourism SSC’s members to draft their operational guidelines and outline immediate activities. The meeting concluded with the agreement to hold regular meetings to finalize key documents, including the operational guidelines, programme framework and terms of reference detailing their visions, missions and functional roles.

“We greatly welcome the issuance of the Tourism Ministerial Decision Letter establishing the Tourism Sector Skills Committee,” said Hirania Wiryasti, National Project Coordinator of the ILO’s GA Project. “Through the GA Project, supported by the Joint SDG Fund, the ILO will continue offering technical expertise and sharing international best practices to support the Committee’s implementation.”