Gorontalo, InfoPublik - Located at the northern tip of Sulawesi Island, Gorontalo Province boasts natural beauty and culture that remain largely untouched by tourists.
From heart-shaped islands to swimming with whale sharks, the province offers unforgettable holiday experiences. Gorontalo is also known as the ‘Veranda of Madinah’ for its unique mosques.
However, beyond this nickname, Gorontalo also holds undeniable potential for tourism. Attractions range from natural wonders to historical sites.
Given these conditions, Gorontalo has managed to show positive performance in the tourism sector, with a record number of 3.7 million tourists throughout 2024. However, it faces the challenge of a lack of qualified and ready-to-work tourism human resources (HR).
To address these challenges, the Gorontalo Provincial Tourism Office held a meeting with a number of heads of university study programmes and heads of vocational schools specialising in tourism throughout Gorontalo Province on Thursday (23/10/2025).
The meeting, which took place in the Tourism Office Hall, was led by the Head of the Tourism Office, Aryanto Husain, with the main agenda being to strengthen synergy between the government, universities and schools.
Aryanto said that the future development of tourism in Gorontalo should not only be economically oriented but must also be balanced with social and environmental aspects.
This concept is realised through a commitment to sustainable tourism development based on the potential of Geoparks.
Aryanto stated that there is an urgent need for competent tourism human resources and hoped that educational institutions could produce graduates who are competent and ready to be absorbed by the industry.
He appreciated the contribution of educational institutions in supporting the tourism sector so far. SMK Negeri 1 Limboto and SMK Bina Mandiri Bone Bolango prepare students with expertise in the fields of tourism services, hospitality, and ecotourism.
Meanwhile, Gorontalo State University, Muhammadiyah Gorontalo University, and Bina Taruna also play a role through education, research, and community service programmes focused on tourism destination management and regional planning.
The meeting resulted in agreements and commitments to develop sustainable tourism based on geoparks, improve human resource capacity, strengthen tourism awareness movements, and foster cross-sector collaboration to create new innovations in the tourism sector. ‘We will create joint initiatives such as beach clean-up campaigns and tree planting at tourist destinations, involving teachers and students,’ he said.