Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The Indonesian government expressed optimism that the Toba Caldera Geopark will regain its “green card” status from UNESCO, signaling international recognition of its management and preservation.
“We are very optimistic that Toba Geopark will return to green card status. What matters most is that once we get it back, we must work together to maintain it,” said Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa on Sunday (Aug. 17, 2025).
UNESCO conducted a revalidation of the Toba Caldera Geopark from July 21–25, 2025, with results set to be presented at the UNESCO Global Geopark meeting in Chile on Sept. 5–6, 2025. A final decision will be made at UNESCO’s Executive Board session in Paris in 2026.
To support the revalidation process, multiple ministries and agencies have been involved, including the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, which prepared an interpretation map, and the Ministry of Transportation, which announced new flight routes. The Tourism Ministry has also hosted initiatives such as a National Seminar on Geopark Management and coordination meetings with seven regional heads.
Additionally, the Ministry also held the first International Conference on Toba Caldera Global Geopark 2025, attended by participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea. A pre-revalidation assessment was also carried out with independent experts from South Korea.
Ni Luh emphasized that the Tourism Ministry and stakeholders remain committed to improving the quality and sustainability of the natural attraction.
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The Toba Caldera Geopark was issued a “yellow card” by UNESCO during the Global Geopark meeting in Morocco in September 2023, after assessors cited weaknesses in management. Deputy Minister for Destination and Infrastructure Development Hariyanto noted that the shortcomings ranged from inadequate coordination to unmet management standards.
Since then, the Tourism Ministry, along with the North Sumatra provincial government and the Toba Caldera UNESCO Global Geopark Management Board, has pledged reforms to restore its green card status.
(Raidi/Agung)
