Following a series of field visits and seminars, the “2026 Taiwan-Indonesia Ecotourism DMO International Exchange Program” successfully concluded on August 3. The exchange was promoted through the Satoyama Root Economy 2.0 USR and led by Professor Mei-Hui Chen of the Department of Forestry at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST). In collaboration with the Indonesian Ecotourism Network (INDECON) and Frog Free Nature Consultant Co., Ltd., the event brought in five community leaders from Indonesia to visit Taiwan and take part in a time of valuable exchange. During the field visits and seminars, participants shared practical experiences in community participation, ecotourism, cultural preservation, and the development of Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), thereby deepening bilateral cooperative relations.
INDECON has over 30 years of experience in promoting ecotourism and has assisted communities across Indonesia with the development of sustainable tourism— helping to care for protected areas and preserve cultural heritage sites.
The exchange members hailed from Candirejo Village surrounding the World Heritage Borobudur Temple World Heritage Site, Tololela Village preserving Ngada traditional culture, the Osing indigenous community in East Java, and Teluk Sulaiman in East Kalimantan, all possessing rich experience in community building, ecological conservation, and cultural heritage transmission.
During the exchange period, the five Indonesian community leaders visited six natural conservation areas in Pingtung and Kaohsiung, gaining an in-depth understanding of Taiwan’s model of promoting ecotourism through community autonomy, cross-departmental collaboration, and public-private partnerships. The visits covered such topics as indigenous cultural preservation and translation, family garden seed conservation and community resilience, ecotourism itineraries, product development, environmental education, and community participation in protected area management. Through exchanges with local communities and conservation agencies, they shared both countries’ experiences in community-based tourism and DMO development.
Markus Lina, Chairman of the Tololela Tourism Development Institute from Flores Island, Indonesia, stated that he was deeply impressed by the cultural preservation methods in Wutai community. He believes that culture is not merely an asset displayed in museums, but a value existing in the daily lives of residents. He also pointed out that seed conservation is not only about saving agricultural crops, but also about preserving local history, cultural memories, and community resilience.
Zalman Farizi Rakasiwi Haruddin, a community youth representative from Teluk Sulaiman, East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, shared that the ecotourism promoted in Taiwan is not simply about providing visits for tourists, but is centered around the community, allowing residents to participate in tourism planning, management, and the sharing of outcomes. He stated that in Wutai, Wanlitong, and Gangzai, he saw different generations jointly committing to local development, as well as the potential for youth to participate in communities, protect the environment, and develop local industries. He looks forward to bringing what he has learned from this exchange back to Indonesia, encouraging more youth to engage in community development and ecotourism work.
NPUST graduate student Yi-Chian Lin shared that this exchange allowed her to see the deep motivation behind Indonesian youth’s dedication to ecotourism and DMO development. She observed that the participation of youth from the Tololela village and the Teluk Sulaiman community in ecotourism is driven not only by economic gains, but more so by a sense of mission rooted in cultural identity and the guardianship of their homeland.
Meng-Hsien Chuang, CEO of the co-organizer Frog Free Nature Consultant Co., Ltd., shared that during the exchange process, the Indonesian partners were curious about the situation of youth participation in Taiwan’s community development. When discussing the definition of “youth,” the Indonesian partners considered those around 25 years old to belong to youth, whereas in many of Taiwan’s agricultural and fishing villages and communities, residents around 50 years old remain a vital force driving local development. Chuang expressed that the joint commitment of different generations is an important foundation for community sustainability; as long as people are willing to protect their hometown and participate in local affairs, they are all important partners in promoting community development. Professor Mei-Hui Chen of NPUST she thanked all participating partners for their joint commitment in sharing experiences in ecotourism, environmental education, and community development. She also pointed out that ecotourism is not only a pathway for local industrial development, but an important bridge connecting humans with nature, culture, and communities.
