Indonesia seeks to retain UNESCO green cards for five geoparks
A 2025-2034 management plan prioritises visitor safety, information facilities, guide training, education and research.
Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry is working to keep five geoparks’ UNESCO green card designations after the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council reaffirmed their status at its 11th session, held in Paris on November 2-4, 2026. The sites are Belitong, Merangin Jambi, Ijen, Raja Ampat and Maros-Pangkep.
Tourism Ministry spokesperson Nia Niscaya said geoparks holding UNESCO Global Geoparks status receive green cards when they pass a revalidation conducted every four years without breaching conservation standards. She said the designation provides an international assurance of quality, helping promote the destinations to overseas travellers concerned about protecting nature and culture.
The Culture Ministry, the Indonesian National Committee for UNESCO (KNIU) and the Tourism Ministry are working with regional governments and geopark managers on the 2025-2034 Area Management Master Plan. According to the Tourism Ministry, priorities include better visitor information and safety, guide training, and stronger education and research programmes.
Niscaya said geopark status links conservation and education with economic empowerment for local communities. She described that approach as consistent with a move away from mass tourism towards sustainable, quality travel under the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.
