RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Demand for flights from China to Indonesia is no longer concentrated in Jakarta and Bali, as growing interest among tourists in visiting diverse regions is driving the development of direct flights to airports beyond the two main entry points.

Commercial Director of state-run airport operator PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia (Persero), or state-owned tourism holding company InJourney Airports, Veri Y Setiady, said this trend is reflected in the distribution of indirect flight passengers throughout 2025, which increasingly reached various regions across Indonesia.

According to InJourney Airports data, Java recorded around 992,000 passengers from China, followed by Bali and Nusa Tenggara with about 525,000 passengers, and Sumatra with around 169,000 passengers. Meanwhile, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua showed smaller but consistent growth in demand.

“This is the basis for us to continue strengthening direct ASEAN–China connectivity, not only through major airports but also through other gateways to different regions,” Veri said in Jakarta on Saturday, July 18, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

To seize this opportunity, InJourney Airports promoted six airports at the 17th ASEAN–China Working Group on Regional Air Services Arrangements (ACWG-RASA) Forum held in Yogyakarta.

The six airports are Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA), Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport in Lombok, Minangkabau International Airport in Padang, Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport in Palembang, Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, and Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado.

These airports are connected to networks in surrounding regions, including Kendari, Palu, Gorontalo, Ternate, Ambon, Sorong, Timika, Jayapura, Kupang, and Labuan Bajo, making them potential gateways for expanding air connectivity between Indonesia and China.

InJourney Airports President Director Mohammad R. Pahlevi said the ACWG-RASA forum provided an opportunity to explore international aviation collaboration and showcase the potential of the company’s airports to airlines and stakeholders from ASEAN and China.

“This forum allows us to highlight the advantages of our airports and strengthen ASEAN–China air connectivity. It reflects our efforts to optimize InJourney Airports,” Pahlevi said.

InJourney estimates that around 1.7 million Chinese passengers traveled to Indonesia via direct and indirect flights in 2025.

Veri added that by December 2025, international connectivity at Indonesian airports had served 40.9 million passengers from 230 countries, representing a 110 percent recovery compared to the pre-pandemic period.

“The Asian market contributed 67 percent of this total, with China as one of the main drivers of growth,” Veri said.

He noted that the promotion of connectivity at the ACWG-RASA forum received positive feedback from delegates and airlines, with discussions to be followed up in subsequent meetings to create opportunities for new routes between Indonesia and China.

As the operator of 37 airports, InJourney Airports said it will continue to optimize regional airport potential to expand international connectivity and support national economic and tourism growth. ***