The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and its partners collaborate to deliver Green Tourism training in three tourist villages in Langkat

LANGKAT, North Sumatra, Indonesia (Joint Press Release) - The Ministry of Tourism (Kemenpar), together with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Bank Indonesia Representative Office for North Sumatra Province, the Sustainable Tourism Initiative (STRIVE) and the Langkat Regency Government jointly organized a Green Tourism training programme for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in three tourist villages in Langkat Regency, North Sumatra from 19 to 23 August 2025.

Green tourism is not just a trend, but a necessity. With the ability to manage environmentally friendly businesses and maintain sound financial practices, MSMEs in tourism villages will be able to compete, grow sustainably and positively impact their surroundings.

Ika Kusuma Permana Sari, Assistant Deputy for Community Capacity Building at the Ministry of Tourism

Assistant Deputy for Community Capacity Building at the Ministry of Tourism, Ika Kusuma Permana Sari, stated in Langkat on Thursday, 21 August, that the training is part of a national strategy to strengthen sustainable tourism villages.

During the training, MSME actors in tourist villages were encouraged to adopt green tourism principles, prioritizing environmental sustainability, community empowerment and the preservation of local culture, in managing their businesses.

The programme not only focused on environmentally friendly product and service innovation but also equipped participants with financial literacy skills to help their businesses grow in a healthy and resilient manner.

“Green tourism is not just a trend, but a necessity. With the ability to manage environmentally friendly businesses and maintain sound financial practices, MSMEs in tourism villages will be able to compete, grow sustainably and positively impact their surroundings,” said Ika.

© Kemenpar

© Kemenpar

Over the five-day training, 25 participants from Timbang Jaya Village, Timbang Lawan Village and Bukit Lawang Plantation Village explored a wide range of topics, including sustainable entrepreneurial mindsets and behaviours, eco-friendly business concepts, business mapping and modeling, marketing strategies, production management, business accounting and the use of digital financial technology through the Financial Information Recording Application System (SIAPIK).

Following the training, participants will receive one month of post-training business assistance to help them apply green tourism principles in their operations.

The training was facilitated by STRIVE mentors who had previously undergone training and coaching from the ILO and the Ministry of Tourism. These facilitators provided context-specific guidance to support the effective implementation of green tourism in North Sumatra.

MSME players must also have the drive to compete. This is a valuable opportunity to make MSMEs more professional and competitive.

H. Syah Afandin, Langkat Regent

“This collaborative model is expected to be replicated in other tourist villages to further strengthen the local tourism ecosystem and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to gender equality, decent work and economic growth and responsible consumption and production,” Ika added.

Langkat Regent H. Syah Afandin expressed his appreciation for the initiative. He emphasized the need for marketing support to enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs in Langkat’s tourist villages. “MSME players must also have the drive to compete. This is a valuable opportunity to make MSMEs more professional and competitive,” he said.

Dina Novita Sari, Programme Staff at ILO Indonesia, highlighted that building MSME capacity through green tourism principles – centred on people, planet and profit – not only fosters sustainable business opportunities but also promotes decent work and local economic development.

“To that end, we encourage continued multi-stakeholder collaboration and the replication of best practices in Green Tourism Certification for MSMEs across Indonesia,” said Dina.

© Kemenpar

© Kemenpar

From an economic empowerment perspective, Rudy Brando Hutabarat, Head of Bank Indonesia’s North Sumatra Provincial Representative Office, stressed that financial literacy is key to ensuring business sustainability. “Bank Indonesia is committed to supporting these efforts by enhancing MSME capacity, promoting digitalization, and fostering synergy among stakeholders,” Rudy concluded.

Langkat holds significant potential as an ecotourism destination. To unlock this potential, MSMEs must be empowered through financial literacy, innovation and environmentally responsible business practices.

Bank Indonesia is committed to supporting these efforts by enhancing MSME capacity, promoting digitalization, and fostering synergy among stakeholders.

Rudy Brando Hutabarat, Head of Bank Indonesia’s North Sumatra Provincial Representative Office