“We’ve added increased access for the public and provincial administrations to vote and tell us their choice of nominees they want included in the awards,” said the ministry's archipelago tourism marketing development deputy, Esthy Reko Astuti. 

“Everyone can vote for the best and most popular tourist destinations at ayojalanjalan.com."

Read also: Five destinations in Indonesia

The second year of API features 15 categories, an increase from the previous year, which featured 10 categories.

The categories are the result of a rigorous selection process of analyzing data that records the most popular tourist destinations, cuisine, tourist attractions and cultural festivals in Indonesia.

Among the new categories for this year are Most Popular Traditional Village, Most Popular Traditional Drink, Most Popular Shopping Spot, Most Popular Unique Tourist Spot and Most Popular Tourism Digital Promotion.

Read also: Dangers of vicarious travel

Each voter can only vote one time per email address and the voting process lasts from June to October. The awards ceremony will be held in November.

Apart from online voting, the public can also vote via text message by texting the keyword of the nominee they wish to vote for to 99386.

Last year’s API recorded 53,097 voters, 4,331 or 8 percent of whom voted from overseas. (kes)

Below is the list of categories and nominees for API II 2017:

Most Popular Hidden Paradise

1.       Tumpak Sewu Waterfall – Lumajang regency

2.       Bantaragung Tourist Village – Majalengka regency

3.       Wanawisata Budaya Mataram – Bantul regency

4.       Mandeh Area – Southern Coast regency

5.       Nikoi Island – Bintan regency

6.       Dodola Island – Morotai Island regency

7.       Kodingareng Keke Island – Makassar 

8.       Saponda Island – Konawe regency

9.       Riam Merasap – Bengkayang regency

10.     Saleh Bay – Sumbawa regency

Most Popular Clean Tourist Site

1.       Lake Sebangau – Palangkaraya 

2.       Islamic Center – Samarinda 

3.       Kampoeng Radja – Jambi 

4.       Monas area – Jakarta

5.       Tiga Warna Beach - Malang regency

6.       Harlem Beach – Jayapura regency

7.       Jikumerasa Beach – Buru regency

8.       Pemuteran Beach – Buleleng regency

9.       Sisi Serasan Beach – Natuna regency

10.     Waha Beach – Wakatobi regency

Most Popular Historic Site

1.       Sangkulirang Rock Arts – Kutai Timur regency

2.       Maimun Castle – Medan 

3.       Siak Sri Indrapura Castle – Siak regency

4.       Muarajambi site – Muaro Jambi regency

5.       Joang ’45 Museum – Jakarta

6.       Kraton Pajang Residence – Surakarta 

7.       SumSum Island – Morotai Island regency

8.       Betang Tumbang Gagu House – East Kotawaringin regency

9.       Mount Padang site – Cianjur regency

10.     Tapurarang – Fak Fak regency

Most Popular Traditional Dish

1.       Aunu Senebre – West Papua

2.       Binte Biluhuta – Gorontalo

3.       Bolu Berendam – Indragiri Hulu regency

4.       Daging Se’i – Kupan city

5.       Enbal – Kab. Southeast Maluku regency

6.       Gammi Bawis – Bontang city

7.       Kaledo – Donggala regency

8.       Lemang Kantung Semar – Kerinci regency

9.       Pasmico – Banjarbaru city

10.   Soto Betawi – Jakarta

Most Popular Diving Spot

1.       Gosong Senggora – West Kotawaringin regency

2.       Banda Islands – Central Maluku regency

3.       Bawah Island – Anambas Islands regency

4.       Karampuang Island – Mamuju regency

5.       Tomia Island – Wakatobi regency

6.       Lembeh Strait – Bitung city

7.       Tanjung Pasir Moyo – Sumbawa regency

8.       Maumere Bay – Sikka regency

9.       Tomini Bay – Tojo Unauna regency

10.     Tulamben – Karangasem regency

Most Popular Surfing Spot

1.       Bono – Pelalawan regency

2.       Bowele Beach – Malang regency

3.       Morotai Jaya – Morotai Island regency

4.       Lhoknga Beach – Aceh Besar regency

5.       Tanjung Setia Beach – West Lampung regency

6.       Tarimbang Beach – East Sumba regency

7.       Wediombo Beach – Mount Kidul regency

8.       Nyang Nyang Beach – Mentawai Islands regency

9.       Panaitan Beach – Pandeglang regency

10.     Sepang Bay – Bengkulu city

Most Popular Cultural Attraction

1.       Apen Beyeren – Biak Numfor regency

2.       Bakar Tongkang – Rokan Hilir regency

3.       Karaci – Sumbawa regency

4.       Pandan War – Karangasem regency

5.       Ronggeng Paser – Paser regency

6.       Tabuik – Pariaman city

7.       Ngagah Harimau – Kerinci regency

8.       Peperimakka Dance – Makassar

9.       Tumbilotohe Tradition – Gorontalo

10.     Wadian Bulat – East Barito regency

Most Popular Tourist Festival

1.       Buleleng Festival – Buleleng regency

2.       8 Festival – Makassar

3.       Danau Kelimutu Festival – Ende regency

4.       Danau Sentani Festival – Jayapura regency

5.       Isen Mulang Festival – Central Kalimantan 

6.       Pacu Jalur Festival – Kuantan Singingi regency

7.       Sriwijaya Festival – East Sumatra

8.       Jakarta Fashion & Food Festival – Jakarta

9.       Int’l Songket Carnival – Sawahlunto city

10.     Int’l Flower Festival – Tomohon city

Most Popular Highland

1.       Kelam Hill – Sintang regency

2.       Khayangan Hilll – Sungai Penuh city

3.       Seribu Bintang Hill – Kuningan regency

4.       Ngade Danau Laguna Hill – Ternate city

5.       Mount Daik – Lingga regency

6.       Mount Tambora – Dompu regency

7.       Kalibiru – Kulon Progo regency

8.       Malino – Gowa regency

9.       Mamullu – Mamasa regency

10.     Rembangan Summit – Jember regency

Most Popular New Destination

1.       Lake Linow – Tomohon city

2.       Lake Love – Jayapura regency

3.       Lake Ugo – Batanghari regency

4.       Pura Batu Kursi Area – Buleleng regency

5.       Mbawana Island – Southwest Sumba regency

6.       Bokori Island – Konawe regency

7.       Hatta Island – Central Maluku regency

8.       Kumala Island – Kutai Kertanegara regency

9.       Skywalk – Bandung

10.     Breksi Park – Sleman regency

Most Popular Traditional Village

1.       Ensaid Panjang Village – Sintang regency

2.       Tanimbar Kei Village – Southeast Maluku regency

3.       Tenganan Pegringsingan Village – Karangasem regency

4.       Setulang Tourist Village – Malinau regency

5.       Bena Customary village – Ngada regency

6.       Bajo Tribe Floating Village – Wakatobi regency

7.       Mangunan Tourist Village – Bantul regency

8.       Kete Kesu – Tana Toraja regency

9.       Betawi Betawi Cultural Village – Jakarta

10.     Saribu Rumah Gadang – East Solok regency

Most Popular Traditional Drink

1.       Guraka Water – Ternate city

2.       Ce Hun Tiau – Pontianak city

3.       Es Kacang Merah – Palembang city

4.       Es Selendang Mayang – Jakarta

5.       Jeniper – Kuningan regency

6.       Hijau Wamena Coffee – Jayawijaya regency

7.       Laksamana Mengamuk – Riau

8.       Talua  Tea – Padang city

9.       Tew Fu Sui – Pangkal Pinang city

10.     Oolong Kepahiang Tea – Kepahiang regency

Most Popular Shopping Spot

1.       Nagoya Hill – Batam city

2.       Ateh Market – Bukittinggi city

3.       Bawah Market – Pekanbaru city

4.       Beringharjo Market – Yogyakarta

5.       Kebun Sayur Market – Balikpapan city

6.       Tanah Abang Market – Jakarta

7.       Permata Martapura Shopping Complex – Banjar regency

8.       Petak 10 – Ambon city

9.       Sekarbella – Mataram city

10.     Tanggulangin Leather Craft – Sidoarjo regency

Most Popular Unique Tourist Spot

1.       Jin Water – South Buru regency

2.       Semolon Hot Spring – Malinau regency

3.       Jomblang Cave – Mount Kidul regency

4.       Lusi (Lumpur Sidoarjo Mudflow) – Sidoarjo regency

5.       Lok Baintan Floating Market – Banjar regency

6.       Thousand Buddha Statues – Tanjungpinang city

7.       Gunung Api batu Tara Island – Lembata regency

8.       Kakaban Island – Berau regency

9.       Batu Putih Tangkoko Park – Bitung city

10.     Biru Lake – Merangin regency

Most Popular Digital Tourism Promotion 

1.       @aceh_disbudpar (TW) – Aceh

2.       @ColorfulBitung (FB) – Bitung city 

3.       @disparbud_jabar (TW) – West Java

4.       @pariwisata.tarakan (FB) – Tarakan city

5.       @PariwisataBelitung (FB) – Belitung regency

6.       @Twit_Samosir (TW) – Toba Samosir regency

7.       @visitbanten_id (TW) – Banten

8.       @VisitJawaTengah (TW) – Central Java

9.       @visitlampung (FB) – Lampung

10.    @wisataanambas (TW) – Anambas regency

Popular

RI, Australia strengthen partnership on taxing crypto assets

Analysis: Indonesia denies normalization with Israel to enter OECD

Citroen to produce electric cars in Indonesia