The Familiarization Trip under the theme ‘Beyond the Barrier: Raja Ampat Awaits!’ is designed for Australian dive tourism businesses and underwater photojournalists.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Katembe Indonesia are holding a Familiarization Trip (famtrip) themed ‘Beyond the Barrier: Raja Ampat Awaits!’ for Australian dive tourism businesses and underwater photojournalists.

The Deputy for Marketing at the ministry, Ni Made Ayu Marthini, said here on Wednesday (Dec. 3), that as a country with globally recognized marine biodiversity, Indonesia has a strong appeal for international dive tourists.

The Familiarization Trip is designed to enhance Indonesia's image as a leading marine tourism destination, especially for professional divers and the underwater community.

"Australian divers' high interest in quality dive sites presents a strategic opportunity to encourage increased marine tourism visits to Indonesia," Ni Made noted.

This activity is a strategic step by the Ministry of Tourism to strengthen Indonesia's position as a leading global destination, particularly in the special interest tourism segment.

Marine tourism, a flagship of the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, is being intensively promoted again to expand its penetration into the international market.

The famtrip took place on November 26–December 2, 2025, in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua province, and was attended by four representatives of the diving tourism industry and influential underwater photojournalists from Australia: Dive Adventures Australia, Diveplanit Travel Pty Ltd, Pro Dive Sydney, and Nigel Marsh Photography.

Australian tourists represent a highly potential market. According to Statistics Indonesia’s 2024 data, more than 49 percent, or approximately 820,000 Australian tourists, came to Indonesia to enjoy the marine beauty.

Therefore, the famtrip was a follow-up to the flagship of ‘Tourism Upgrading’ program to strengthen Indonesia's competitiveness in the global maritime market.

While in Raja Ampat, famtrip participants dived at various iconic sites such as Mioskon, Friwen Wall, Batu Lima, Blue Magic, Sawandarek, Arborek, Manta Sandy, Melissa's Garden, and Piaynemo.

This diversity of dive sites affirms Raja Ampat's position as a bucket-list diving destination, offering not only a world-class diving experience but also a combination of sustainability, conservation, and direct benefits for the local community.

The participants also gained cultural experiences by visiting the Viking Papua tribe in the Arborek Tourism Village and enjoying the panoramic views of the Piaynemo karst, an icon of Indonesian marine tourism.

With the support of Katembe Indonesia and the Southwest Papua Provincial Government, participants spent the night on Katembe Private Island and explored the marine beauty that has made Raja Ampat one of the world's mega-biodiversity centers.

At the conclusion of the activity, participants participated in a business networking session with Indonesian marine tourism stakeholders at Le Meridien Jakarta.

The meeting, led by Yulia, Deputy Assistant for International Tourism Marketing II, was attended by representatives from Katembe Indonesia, the Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, and associations such as PADI, ASITA, IINTOA, and JANGKAR.

The meeting provided a forum for sharing information on the direction of special interest tourism policies and the growing opportunities for marine tourism growth.

Made emphasized that the famtrip is a crucial opportunity to establish Indonesia as a world-class diving destination, while also supporting the target of 1.8 million Australian tourists, particularly those in the marine tourism and diving segments.

"Given that Raja Ampat is a premium destination, sustainability must be a top priority to maintain the quality and preservation of its underwater environment," Made said. And

The Ministry of Tourism and Katembe Indonesia, the West Papua Provincial Government, and strategic partners such as the country’s flag carrier Garuda Indonesia Sydney, Marriott Bonvoy, Le Meridien Jakarta, and Grand Anara Airport Hotel, is committed to strengthening integrated promotions and expanding partnerships to encourage the growth of Indonesian marine tourism in the international market.

"This famtrip is expected to be a concrete step to increase awareness and expand exposure of Raja Ampat and other Indonesian marine destinations in the Australian market," Made said.

Reporting by Indonesia Window