Rupiah Weakening Seen to Boost Foreign Tourist Visits

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The weakening of the rupiah presents an opportunity for Indonesia’s tourism sector, according to the National Chairperson of Indonesia’s Enchanting Generation (GenPI), Siti Chotijah, known as Jhe. She said the situation could drive more foreign tourist visits to various destinations.

Foreign tourists, she explained, enjoy greater purchasing power when exchanging their national currency for rupiah, allowing them to shop and travel more flexibly in Indonesia.

“This is indeed an interesting phenomenon. When the rupiah weakens, tourism can actually grow, or even increase. We need to view this from various perspectives,” Jhe told RRI on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

She highlighted Malaysia, Australia, and several Southeast Asian and Oceanian countries as potential markets, noting that the strength of their currencies against the rupiah makes visits more attractive.

Jhe cited the experience of a Malaysian tourist who went viral after feeling they had gotten a good deal while shopping in Indonesia. “That tourist was very excited because with IDR 1 million (USD 55.78), they could buy a lot of things,” she said.

Nevertheless, she cautioned that these opportunities must be balanced with the readiness of the national tourism sector. Transportation, destination promotion, and service quality need continuous improvement.

She also stressed that rising tourist numbers must be accompanied by sustainable tourism management, with attention to environmental impact, traffic congestion, and local community welfare.

“This is an opportunity, on the other hand, for our international tourist numbers to grow significantly,” Jhe said.

Meanwhile, Deputy for Methodology and Statistical Information at the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Pudji Ismartini, reported that international tourist arrivals in April 2026 reached 1.25 million. This marked a 14.75 percent increase from the previous month and a 7.22 percent year-on-year rise.

Cumulatively, arrivals from January to April 2026 totaled 4.68 million, up 8.24 percent compared to the same period last year. Malaysian passport holders made up the largest group at 16.65 percent, followed by Australians at 12.65 percent and Chinese tourists at 10.73 percent.

According to BPS, international tourist arrivals from January through April 2026 were the highest since 2020, with Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali recording the largest number of arrivals. (Gusti Panji)