Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism is moving to tighten how accommodation listings are managed on Online Travel Agent (OTA) platforms by developing a new Application Programming Interface (API) system that connects digital booking services with the national business licensing database.
The system is designed to ensure that only accommodations with valid business permits can be listed on OTA platforms. It is being built to integrate directly with the Online Single Submission (OSS) system, which stores official business registration data in Indonesia.
The plan was outlined during a briefing in Jakarta on May 26, 2026, where Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana addressed ongoing efforts to improve governance in the accommodation sector. The focus of the policy is on aligning digital tourism platforms with national licensing standards.
Under the planned system, accommodation providers will need to submit key business information, including their Business Identification Number (NIB), business classification under the Indonesian Standard Classification of Business Fields (KBLI), and Business Activity Number (NKU). These details will be automatically checked against OSS records through the API connection.
If the submitted data matches government records, the accommodation can be listed on OTA platforms. If not, the listing process will be blocked or rejected. The system is also expected to support clearer identification of licensed properties directly on OTA platforms.
The API integration is still in internal development and will later be expanded in collaboration with OTA partners. Full implementation is targeted for June 2027, when OTA platforms will be required to ensure that no accommodation appears without valid licensing data.
Once active, OTA platforms will take on a more direct role in monitoring compliance. Listings that do not meet licensing requirements may be removed, while properties that later complete their documentation can return to the platform after verification.
Alongside the system development, the Ministry has introduced educational materials to support compliance. Four video guides on business licensing have been prepared and are intended to help accommodation operators understand registration requirements. OTA platforms have been asked to distribute these materials to their users and publish them on their websites.
Since March 2025, the Ministry has been running outreach programs with local governments and OTA partners, including campaigns in five provinces and training sessions involving more than 1,500 business owners. These initiatives are aimed at increasing awareness of business registration requirements in the accommodation sector.
Recent data from May 20, 2026, shows a 46.5 percent increase in short-term accommodation businesses registered with a Business Identification Number (NIB) in the OSS system across multiple tourism classifications compared to the previous year. Villa accommodations recorded the highest growth among categories.
The Ministry has also identified accommodation listings without valid permits and is preparing to forward these to OTA platforms for removal within a two-month window after notification. Listings may be restored once operators complete licensing requirements and pass verification through the integrated system.