North Sumatra Hosts Its First Astindo Sumut Travel Exchange, Boosting New Tourism Impact In Lake Toba And Global Exposure Of The Region

Published on November 20, 2025

In an effort to present Lake Toba and nan surrounding attractions to nan world tourism marketplace, North Sumatra held its first-ever Astindo Sumut Travel Exchange, Astex, successful Medan earlier this month. The adjacent successfully brought together 72 section sellers and 117 home and world buyers, showing disconnected nan region’s expanding imaginable arsenic a tourism hub. Held astatine nan Selecta Convention Hall, Astex was organized successful coordination pinch nan North Sumatra Provincial Government, nan Medan City Government, and nan Samosir Regency Government.

The first B2B recreation mart was organized by nan Association of Indonesian Travel Agents-Astindo North Sumatra chapter, which is made up of 70 recreation and circuit operators passim nan province. Given nan expansive earthy beauty and taste worth surrounding Lake Toba, Astex marked nan first large-scale push to bring North Sumatra tourism into nan world spotlight.

Expanding North Sumatra’s Global Tourism Footprint

Lake Toba, known for its melodramatic landscapes and rich | taste heritage, has already established global recognition, but world buyers still stay unfamiliar pinch nan afloat scope of tourism offerings successful nan area. Tengku Feria Aznita, president of Astindo North Sumatra, noted, “While Lake Toba has a beardown brand, galore buyers did not cognize what nan area genuinely offers, what’s nether development, aliases wherever nan cardinal opportunities lie.” This feedback highlights nan request for better tourism presentations to showcase nan area’s existent potential. Yuda Pratiwi Setiawan, caput of nan North Sumatra Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Office, emphasized that Astex coincides pinch nan growing world arrivals to North Sumatra. He added, “Collaborations for illustration this are important successful our efforts to position North Sumatra arsenic nan tourism hub of Western Indonesia.” In 2024, nan Central Bureau of Statistics recorded 250,413 overseas visitors to North Sumatra, an awesome 26.3% increase from nan erstwhile year. By August 2025, that number had already reached 193,758, pinch visitors chiefly coming from Malaysia, Singapore, China, the Netherlands, and Germany. These figures underscore nan affirmative tourism impact of nan region’s caller improvement and promotional activities.

The Tourism Impact of Infrastructure and Connectivity Improvements

The effect of Astex is further magnified by important infrastructure upgrades that are improving accessibility to Lake Toba and surrounding destinations. Yuda Pratiwi Setiawan noted that infrastructure development, specified arsenic nan Kuala Tanjung–Parapat toll link and caller world flights to Kuala Namu Airport (including services from Abu Dhabi), is enhancing nan region’s tourism appeal. “With improving connectivity, we are making it easier for travelers to sojourn North Sumatra and bask its earthy beauty,” Yuda explained. These developments are important for strengthening nan tourism impact of Lake Toba and its surrounding areas. As entree improves, much world visitors will beryllium capable to research nan region, contributing to economical growth, occupation creation, and enhanced section business opportunities. This infrastructure progress is straight linked to nan region’s increasing tourism sector, which now has nan imaginable to pull much visitors and stimulate some local economies and nan national tourism industry.

Strategic Partnerships Enhance Tourism Visibility

Astex provided a level for promoting divers tourism products, including lake-based activities, destination guidance companies, hotels, transport providers, and phinisi cruise services. For buyers for illustration Sukeni, CEO of Hagia Tours successful Jakarta, nan arena clarified what North Sumatra has to offer. “It was easier to understand what nan state tin connection and really each nan pieces fresh together,” she said. For section sellers for illustration Nawan Syahputra of Sultan Tebing Travel, nan arena provided valuable insights into what world buyers are seeking. “Buyers asked elaborate questions astir access, movement, and packaging potential of tourism experiences,” Nawan said, reflecting nan increasing request for well-curated tourism products that cater to some world and section travelers. These insights will straight effect early product development successful nan region.

Tourism Impact of Site Visits and Post-Tour Experience

A cardinal constituent of nan arena was nan post-tour, which introduced buyers to respective iconic sites specified arsenic Lumbini Natural Park, nan Sibea-bea hillside Jesus statue, and Huta Siallagan, a preserved Batak village. While nan scenic beauty impressed many, immoderate buyers felt nan circuit lacked capable context, making it difficult to spot really nan sites fresh into a wider tourism itinerary. Aroun Lim, trading head astatine Mekong Tour and Travel successful Australia, mentioned, “Without clear explanations astatine each stop, it was challenging to understand nan value of nan sites. The storytelling was lacking, and pinch clearer context, nan aforesaid way could beryllium overmuch stronger arsenic a tourism product.” This feedback highlights an opportunity to amended destination storytelling and product coherence to summation nan tourism impact for early visitors.

Shaping nan Future of North Sumatra’s Tourism Industry

The valuable feedback collected during Astex will beryllium utilized to refine nan arena for early editions. Tengku Feria Aznita mentioned that Astindo North Sumatra plans to make Astex an annual event, pinch a attraction connected improving nan clarity of destination presentations and aligning tourism products pinch global marketplace expectations. These efforts will thief summation North Sumatra’s visibility connected nan world stage, driving further tourism impact arsenic nan region becomes a cardinal subordinate successful Indonesia’s tourism sector. As nan state continues to create its infrastructure and fortify its tourism offerings, Lake Toba and its surrounding destinations are poised to go an moreover much charismatic destination for travelers worldwide.

North Sumatra connected Track to Become a Key Global Tourism Destination

With specified initiatives arsenic Astex, North Sumatra surely will summation its world floor plan arsenic a destination that must beryllium visited. By refining its tourism products and improving destination marketing, nan state is making meaningful strides toward being 1 of Indonesia’s and nan world’s starring tourism hubs. With sustained effort successful infrastructure improvement and strategical waste and acquisition promotion, Lake Toba and its environs are connected people to becoming an integral portion of nan world tourism map.