Maratua Island Diving Tourism is Being Promoted to Dive Centers in Malaysia and Singapore

Maratua Island, located in Berau Regency, East Kalimantan, is currently being positioned to gain wider recognition as one of Indonesia's premier marine and diving tourism destinations. The Ministry of Tourism has introduced the island's potential to dive center operators from Malaysia and Singapore.

This promotion is being conducted through the Marine Maratua 2026 Famtrip, held 10–15 August 2026. This programme also serves as an initiative to expand tourism business networks with industry players from these two countries deemed strategically important for Indonesia.

Ni Made Ayu Marthini, Deputy for Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism, explained that participants would not only receive factual information about Maratua, but also experience the destination directly on location.

"Through this famtrip, dive center representatives will be able to observe and experience first-hand every tourism offering available on Maratua, ranging from diving potential, accommodation facilities, to additional visitor experiences," stated Ni Made Ayu Marthini in an official release issued in Jakarta.

Following this on-site experience, it is expected that these dive centers will include Maratua Island within the travel packages they offer to tourists from Malaysia and Singapore.

Exploring Nine Underwater Dive Sites In Maratua

Over the six-day famtrip, participants were guided to explore the full range of tourism products on Maratua, with scuba diving established as one of the core focus areas.

Participants completed three full days of diving activities across nine designated dive sites. This experience allowed them to directly assess underwater ecosystem conditions, while also evaluating diving services, accommodation standards, and the destination's overall readiness to host international visitors.

This approach ensures Maratua's promotion does not rely solely on marketing collateral. Tourism industry operators from these priority markets are able to witness first-hand the quality of experience they will eventually offer to their own customers.

Beyond Diving Tourism

While marine tourism remains Maratua's primary attraction, participants were also taken to visit Gumantung Cave and watch sunset panoramas over Teluk Harapan.

The itinerary also included a visit to Tumbit Dayak Village, where participants were introduced to local cultural heritage as well as various community-made local products.

This varied sequence of activities forms a critical part of establishing Maratua's identity as a holistic tourism destination.

Visitors do not travel to Maratua only to dive—they can also enjoy natural landscapes, cultural experiences, local cuisine, and interact directly with resident communities.

This diversity is expected to make Maratua's tourism offerings easier to package and market to international travellers.

Malaysia And Singapore As Strategic Target Markets

Promotion efforts are focused on Malaysia and Singapore as both nations represent key markets for Indonesian tourism, both in terms of visitor volumes and development potential for special interest tourism segments.

According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), as of June 2026 there were 1,361,772 tourist arrivals from Malaysia to Indonesia, while arrivals from Singapore reached 739,721.

"Malaysia and Singapore are extremely strategic markets for Indonesian tourism, not only for their visitor numbers, but also for the development potential across multiple tourism segments. This includes special interest tourism such as scuba diving," stated Dedi Ahmad Kurnia, Assistant Deputy for International Tourism Marketing Development I at the Ministry of Tourism.

Establishing Maratua as a recognised diving destination has the potential to stimulate growth across multiple economic sectors in the surrounding area.

Travellers require accommodation, tour guides, transport, food and beverage services, as well as all equipment and supporting services for tourism activities.

This means that as Maratua's diving tourism market matures, an increasing number of local business operators will be able to access the resulting economic benefits.