Minister Airlangga Pushes Shopping Tourism to Boost Economic Growth

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia continues to strengthen its domestic trade sector by promoting shopping tourism as a new key driver of national economic growth. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, outlined this strategy to attract international tourists and keep local residents’ spending within the country.

This initiative was announced during the opening of the Indonesia Retail Summit & Expo (IRSE) 2026 in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The potential of the shopping tourism market is seen as increasingly promising, in line with the surge in international tourist arrivals, which reached 7.45 million trips in the first half of 2026.

The government is determined to channel travelers’ shopping interests so that financial transactions can circulate more effectively within the domestic market. To date, Indonesians’ spending on overseas travel has been relatively high, reaching USD 6.7 billion.

“Of course, in many countries, part of the reason tourists visit is for dining and shopping. So we certainly need to encourage them to shop in Indonesia. And we hope that this can also leverage shopping tourism as a new engine of growth,” he said.

The expansion of the modern retail network is also continuing into rural areas through the “Merah Putih” Village/Neighborhood Cooperative program. These efforts to expand the network aim to streamline the distribution of essential goods while helping to absorb local products from farmers and fishermen.

“The President has also urged that these retail outlets not be limited to major cities or urban areas, but also extend into rural areas. Therefore, the government is encouraging the ‘Merah Putih’ Cooperatives to ensure that government-subsidized retail goods are also available on the ground. At the same time, they serve as agents to purchase agricultural and fishery products in their respective regions,” he said.

The government is optimistic that integrating the retail sector with the domestic supply chain can create a more self-reliant economic ecosystem. Therefore, cross-sectoral synergy continues to be strengthened so that Indonesian-made products dominate the entire national retail market.