Sukabumi, June 30, 2025 - In an effort to strengthen the competitiveness of sustainable tourism at the global level, the Sukabumi Regency Tourism Office welcomed an official visit from two UNESCO Global Geopark assessors to revalidate the status of the Ciletuh–Palabuhanratu UNESCO Global Geopark (CPUGGp). The visit took place from June 30 to July 4, 2025, as part of UNESCO's periodic evaluation of the management of geopark areas to international standards.
The Head of the Sukabumi Regency Tourism Office, Sendi Apriadi, S.STP., M.Si., emphasized that this event was a strategic opportunity to demonstrate the significant progress of the tourism sector based on natural and cultural conservation. "We have prepared a visit that not only showcases the geological excellence, but also the potential for cultural tourism and the active participation of the local community. This is proof that sustainable tourism has become the heart of Sukabumi's development," he said.
The welcoming ceremony, held at the Sukabumi Pendopo, was attended by Sukabumi Regent H. Asep Japar, who emphasized the importance of integrating tourism destination development with the preservation of local biodiversity, geology, and culture.
"The Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark is a tourism icon for Sukabumi and West Java. We remain committed to building infrastructure and community capacity, so that tourism can become a driver of economic growth that remains environmentally friendly," he emphasized. The two UNESCO assessors, Bojan Rezun from Slovenia and Zhang Chenggong from China, expressed their appreciation for the welcome and preparedness of the local government and community.
During their visit, the assessors are scheduled to visit various leading tourist destinations in the CPUGGp area, such as Puncak Darma, Curug Sodong, Kasepuhan Traditional Village, Sinarresmi, the Conservation Museum and Geological Information Center, and the Padjadjaran University Geopark Research Center.
Furthermore, the assessors are scheduled to attend the Pre-Event of the 6th Geotourism Festival & International Conference 2025, a prestigious forum promoting the concept of geotourism to the world. Sendi concluded with the hope that this revalidation process will further solidify CPUGGp as a leading sustainable tourism destination in Indonesia, capable of attracting both domestic and international tourists.
"We are optimistic that UNESCO's status will remain intact and even become a major driver of Sukabumi Regency's tourism sector's progress to the global level," he concluded.

Author: Ilham M Saputra.