Ibu Wuryastuti Sunario, An Indonesian Patriot and Mother of Indo Tourism, Passed Away

With deep sorrow and sadness, we inform you that Mrs. Wuryastuti Sunario has passed away on March 29, 2025, at 03.02 WIB at the age of 84 years. We ask that you forgive all the mistakes of the deceased and also pray that the deceased will be accepted by God Almighty and be granted eternal peace, and the family left behind will be given strength and comfort.

The eTN publisher received this WhatsApp message written in Bahasa Indonesia last week, but unfortunately, it was only translated today.

It came just a few days after the late “Tuti” shared and commented on the latest travel and tourism developments in her beloved Indonesia. Tuti had communicated with eTurboNews since this publication was launched in 2000 in Jakarta.

Who was Ibu Wuryastuti Sunario?

Education

• GCE Advanced Level, Oxford University, in English Literature, French and German Languages and Literature
• 1959 University of Reading, Berkshire, England, General Degree in English, French, and German Literatures.
• 1962 Bachelor of Arts, Padjadjaran University in Bandung, majoring in English Language and Literature.

Wuryastuti Sunario, MD, Indonesian Tourism Promotion Board

Date of Birth 6 November 1940 Place of Birth Salatiga, Indonesia Education GCE Advanced Level, Oxford University, in English Literature, French and German Languages and Literature 1959 University of Reading,…

Ibu (Ms) Wuryastuti, or Tuti, played a major role in putting Indonesia on the global tourism map. During her 15 years in Singapore, she expanded Singapore to become Indonesia’s top market. She was closely involved with the opening up of Batam and Bintan in the Riau Islands and helped establish direct air links from Singapore to Manado and Lombok.

She was the Chairperson of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 1991 Host Committee in Bandung, a member of the ASEAN Committee for the Visit ASEAN Year 1992, and often the head of the Indonesian delegation to the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Tourism and other major events.

Awards

Tuti received many awards, including the 1994 Berger Sullivan Award by the International Federation of Women’s Travel Organisations for “outstanding efforts in the promotion of international tourism.” In 1995, she received the Best Promotional Activity award from the PATA Indonesia Chapter and the Citra Wanita Pembangunan Indonesia award from the Peraga Indonesia Institute in 1998.

Career and Achievements

• 1962-1965 United Nations Development Program (UNDP) office and other UN agencies in Jakarta as Administrative Assistant Officer, interpreter, and liaison with Indonesian Government Agencies.
• 1966-1967 Tour Manager, Marintour travel agency.
• 1968-1970 Executive Director, Indonesian Tours & Travel Association (ITTRA), concurrent with her position as Tours Manager of Marintour
• 1971-1972 Lecturer in Tourism at the Fakultas Publisistik, University of Padjadjaran, Bandung.
• 1974-1976 Head of Sub-Directorate of Public Relations and Domestic Promotions, Directorate of Marketing, Directorate General of Tourism.
• 1977-1978 Marketing Manager, Indonesia Tourist Promotion Office (ITPO) in San Francisco.
• 1978 – 1993 Transferred to Singapore to open the first ITPO office for ASEAN and Hong Kong. She remained as Marketing Manager and then Director of ITPO.
• 1993-1998 Managing Director of Indonesian Tourism Promotion Board (ITPB), a joint public-private sector organisation aimed at promoting Indonesia internationally.
• February–July 2009: Consultant in connection with the Swisscontact WISATA Project in West Flores, commissioned by the Swiss Government SECO.
• August 2009 – August 2010: Chairperson of “Care Tourism”, a tourism watchdog organization.
• February 1999 –she edited and published “Indonesia Digest”, a weekly current affairs bulletin covering political affairs, legal, economic, environmental, and tourism development in Indonesia.
• From September 2009 until recently, she edited the English edition of the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism website.
• From 1994-98, she was the Chairperson of five “Pasar Wisata” or Tourism Indonesia Mart and Expo (TIME) events, the focal point for promoting other areas beyond Bali. Also initiated the annual Food Festivals in Jakarta and Bali.
• In 2023, she attended TIME 2023, the first global Summit of the World Tourism Network in Bali, virtually.

The mother of tourism in Indonesia.

ETN Publisher and WTN Chairman Juergen Steinmetz said:

Tuti, A True Indonesian Patriot

Tuti was a true patriot for Indonesia and its travel and tourism industry. She loved her country and tourism. Tuti was also a hero and an example for many in Indonesia and beyond. Her achievements for ASEAN tourism helped to develop the bond for tourism in the ASEAN community of nations even today.

More importantly, Tuti was a good personal friend and a friend of eTurboNews. May she rest in Peace. My heartfelt condolences to her family and loved once.

Tutu commented on hundreds of articles and contributed stories, story ideas and content to this publication until last week, and since eTN launched this publication in Indonesia in 2001.

In 2000, she called for better tourism communication, specifically when the United States issued travel warnings against her country. This publisher at that time worked with the Ministry of Tourism to represent Indonesian tourism in the U.S. and Canada.

eTurboNews was launched not as a publication but as an email communication tool for Indonesia to clarify travel warnings and help U.S. and Canadian travel agents understand the geography of Indonesia and the realities of the concern the U.S. government voiced at that time. Launching a YAHOO group for Indonesia and subscribing U.S. travel agents was the official launch for online media in general. A new virtual concept was born—the first online media in the world—called eTurboNews, honoring its first sponsor, a hotel website developer from Singapore by the name of eTurbo Hotels.

Tuti will be missed

Steinmetz continued: “Tuti will be missed. I had communicated with her several times weekly for over two decades. May she rest in peace. May leaders in Indonesia keep her legacy alive in developing a sustainable and inclusive tourism industry with a heart and a soul. One of her last messages was an article and a concern. She forwarded an article published on Bali Discovery asking: Who Owns Bali Tourism?