Indonesia Records Higher Foreign Tourist Arrivals, Domestic Travel in August

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Foreign tourist arrivals and domestic travel in Indonesia continued to grow in 2026, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS).

BPS recorded 10.58 million foreign tourist arrivals from January to August 2026, up 5.38 percent from the same period in 2025.

BPS Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics Ateng Hartono said foreign tourist arrivals reached 1.60 million in August 2026, an increase of 6.27 percent from August 2025.

"Thus, cumulative foreign tourist arrivals from January to August 2026 reached 10.58 million, up 5.38 percent from the same period a year earlier," Ateng said in an official statement delivered virtually in Jakarta on Thursday, as quoted by Antara.

Ateng said tourists holding Malaysian passports accounted for the largest share of arrivals in August 2026 at 18.52 percent, followed by Australia at 10.75 percent and China at 10.16 percent. On a monthly basis, tourist arrivals from Malaysia and China increased, while arrivals from Australia declined.

Meanwhile, BPS also reported strong growth in domestic tourism, with domestic tourist trips reaching 104.30 million in August 2026, up 11.47 percent from the same month last year.

"Cumulatively, from January to August 2026, domestic tourist trips reached 842.15 million, an increase of 4.29 percent compared with the same period last year," Ateng said.

He said the figure was the highest recorded for the January-August period since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. "The data indicate that public interest in and mobility for domestic travel continue to grow on an annual basis," he said.

The increase in foreign and domestic travel reflects continued growth in Indonesia's tourism activity throughout 2026.

The rise in foreign tourist arrivals also underscores sustained travel demand from several of Indonesia's key markets, particularly Malaysia, Australia and China.

Meanwhile, the high number of domestic tourist trips highlights the significant role of domestic travel in supporting tourism activity across the country. Domestic tourists remain a key driver of tourism-related economic activity across regions. ***