Indonesia Shifts Tourism Focus to Asia-Pacific Amid Middle East Tensions

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is pivoting its global tourism focus on stable Asia-Pacific markets to safeguard the nation’s travel industry from the unpredictable ripple effects of escalating dynamics in the Middle East.

Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, confirmed on Wednesday that while global geopolitical shifts create uncertainty in international travel, Indonesia’s primary destinations remain safe and open for business.

Speaking during the Ministry’s monthly report in Jakarta, accompanied by Deputy Minister Ni Luh Puspa, Minister Widiyanti emphasized that the government is "closely monitoring the situation as it develops."

The Minister acknowledged that the tourism sector is inherently tied to cross-border mobility, noting that "the dynamics occurring in various regions of the world, including the Middle East, can create uncertainty in international travel, both for tourists and the global tourism industry."

To counter this, the Ministry has formulated an adaptive strategy to maintain growth momentum by strengthening promotions in countries with stable travel access, specifically targeting East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

Beyond shifting market targets, the Ministry is intensifying digital campaigns and increasing cross-border events, while simultaneously boosting the appeal of domestic travel for Indonesian citizens. Regarding recent airspace closures in the Middle East that affected some travelers, she assured that the government has taken the necessary steps to ensure those in transit can wait safely.

"We also ensure that tourists currently in Indonesia continue to receive good service and support," the Minister added, as quoted by the ministry's official website.

The Ministry’s March 2026 performance report suggests this resilience measures are already operating against a backdrop of positive growth. International arrivals through main gates reached 1.01 million in January 2026 alone. Malaysia led the influx with 150,500 visits, followed by Australia, China, Singapore, and India.

"These countries reflect a combination of traditional and strategic markets that continue to be the focus of Indonesia's tourism development," Minister Widiyanti noted.

On the domestic front, Deputy Minister Ni Luh Puspa reported that Indonesians made 102.04 million domestic trips in January 2026. While this represents a slight 0.93 percent dip compared to the previous year, attributed to the lull between New Year’s and the upcoming Lunar New Year and Eid holidays, the outlook remains bullish.

"However, the movement of domestic tourists is expected to increase again in line with various holiday momentums and the increasing number of travel packages offered by industry players. The government is optimistic about achieving the target of 1.18 billion domestic tourist trips in 2026 through various promotional programs and improved destination readiness," Ni Luh Puspa said.

Interestingly, outbound travel by Indonesians also grew by 1.65 percent in early 2026, totaling approximately 1 million trips. These travelers primarily visited Malaysia, Saudi Arabia (largely for Umrah pilgrimages), and Singapore. Despite this, the Minister noted that inbound tourism still outpaces outbound travel, particularly when factoring in Mobile Positioning Data (MPD), allowing Indonesia to maintain a positive tourism foreign exchange balance.

The government’s broader strategy includes a heavy focus on quality and safety. Following a national coordination meeting in early February, President Prabowo Subianto launched the "Indonesia ASRI" (Safe, Healthy, Clean, and Beautiful) movement to bolster the competitiveness of national destinations.

This was followed by a high-level coordination meeting between the Vice President and 52 tourism industry leaders at the Bali Tourism Polytechnic on February 13 to align perceptions between the public and private sectors.

As the country prepares for major holidays, Minister Widiyanti recently inspected cultural icons in Semarang, such as the Sam Poo Kong Temple and Lawang Sewu, to ensure readiness for the Lunar New Year.

For the upcoming Eid al-Fitr season, the government is providing a significant stimulus: Government-Borne Value Added Tax (PPN DTP) for domestic economy class flight tickets. This incentive is expected to reduce ticket prices by approximately 17 to 18 percent.

Safety remains a cornerstone of the 2026 agenda. The government has already mapped over 4,700 "Disaster-Prone Tourist Attractions" (DTW) across the archipelago as part of a comprehensive risk mitigation effort.

Furthermore, to ensure the long-term quality of the industry, the Ministry has opened admissions for its Tourism Polytechnics for the 2026/2027 academic year, offering 2,166 seats through a joint selection process running from February 11 to May 1. ***