Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has been appointed as Indonesia's new Minister of Tourism, taking over from Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno. She was sworn in on 21 October by President Prabowo Subianto, who has formed the largest cabinet in the country since 1966.
The new cabinet, known as the "red and white" cabinet, includes 48 ministries, with the Ministry of Tourism now separate from the Ministry of Creative Economy.
Sandiaga expressed his support for the new ministers, saying, “On behalf of the entire tourism and creative economy family, I would like to extend a warm welcome and best wishes to the new ministers… And I am confident and optimistic that their achievements will be even greater in the future.” Sandiaga, meanwhile, has not revealed his plans after his role as the tourism minister.
In her first speech as Minister, Widiyanti, often called Widi, outlined several key goals she aims to achieve in her first six months in office:
Gather input for tourism transformation: Engaging with relevant stakeholders to collect insights for transforming the tourism sector.
Develop tourism 5.0 initiatives: Implementing digital-based marketing strategies for events and introducing AI travel assistance.
Formulate a grand strategy for the Indonesia Quality Tourism Fund: Creating a strategic plan for diversifying domestic attractions and hosting international-scale events.
Establish collaborations with world-class institutions: Designing partnerships for knowledge transfer and setting up world-class tourism excellence schools.
Widiyanti holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Pepperdine University in California and has over 30 years of experience in the business world. She believes this experience has taught her the importance of smart strategies, efficient methods, and collaboration. “I bring a new perspective and enthusiasm to advance Indonesia's tourism sector in the future,” she added.
She is the daughter of Wiwoho Basuki Tjokronegoro, the founder of Teladan Group, which operates in various sectors, including agribusiness and mining. During the ceremony, she introduced her family, including her husband, Wishnu Wardhana, former CEO of PT Indika Energy, one of Indonesia's largest energy companies. “My family has always supported me and been a source of strength in every step I take,” she noted.
Since 2004, Widiyanti has been involved in the agribusiness sector through PT Teladan Prima Agro, a palm oil plantation company in East Kalimantan. She has been a commissioner at the company since 2021 and previously served as its director for nine years. She also holds commissioner roles at the company’s subsidiaries, including PT Teladan Agro Resources.
In addition to her business work, Widiyanti is known for her active involvement in social initiatives.