Indonesia Bolsters Tourism Amid Global Challenges and Disruptions

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The government has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a strong tourism sector performance despite facing dynamic global challenges. Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, made the statement during a working meeting with Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), chaired by Commission VII Chairman Saleh P. Daulay, in Jakarta on Wednesday , April 4, 2026.

In her presentation, the Minister explained that the Ministry of Tourism’s priority programs for 2026 are focused on strengthening quality tourism that is safe, sustainable, and beneficial to local economies. One of the key priorities is enhancing travel safety through competency-based training and certification for tour guides, the development of destination safety guidelines, and mapping disaster-prone tourism areas.

In addition, the government continues to strengthen the development of more than 6,200 tourism villages through community assistance, village certification programs, and the expansion of local tourism-based economic networks.

Quality tourism initiatives will also be reinforced through the continuation of flagship programs such as Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomy, Wonderful Indonesia Wellness, Event by Indonesia, and the acceleration of tourism digitalization through the Tourism 5.0 program, which was launched in 2025.

Amid these efforts, the global tourism sector is currently facing challenges stemming from conflict in the Middle East. The closure of Iranian airspace between February 28 and March 28, 2026 disrupted flights from six major international hubs—Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Madinah, and Muscat—leading to the cancellation of approximately 770 flights to Jakarta, Bali, and Medan. This situation is estimated to result in a loss of around 60,000 international tourist arrivals, with unrealized foreign exchange earnings reaching approximately IDR 2.04 trillion.

“Global geopolitical dynamics certainly put pressure on the tourism sector. However, we continue to implement mitigation measures to ensure national tourism performance targets remain on track,” the Minister stated.

Additional pressure on the tourism sector comes from rising global energy prices. Crude oil prices surged by more than 52 percent, from around USD 67 per barrel to over USD 102 per barrel within a month. This has driven up transportation costs, including the implementation of fuel surcharges by international airlines and increased cross-border transportation fares.

To address these challenges, the Ministry of Tourism has prepared several mitigation strategies to maintain its 2026 target of 16 to 17.6 million international tourist arrivals. These include shifting market focus toward Southeast Asia, East Asia, and medium-haul markets, strengthening international digital campaigns, and optimizing partnerships with airlines that offer direct routes to Europe and the United States.

The government also encourages cross-border events in border regions and intensifies domestic tourism promotions to sustain occupancy rates in local destinations.

“In the face of global pressures, we must move more adaptively. Market diversification, stronger promotions, and optimizing domestic tourism are key to ensuring tourism remains a driver of national economic growth,” the Minister said.

Furthermore, the Minister underscored that achieving national tourism targets requires cross-ministerial and institutional collaboration. The government is pushing for strategic measures such as aviation incentives, visa-free entry policies, increased flight seat capacity, and stronger tourism promotion budgets to ensure Indonesia remains competitive globally.

“We believe that through collaboration across ministries and institutions, along with support from the House, Indonesia’s tourism sector will remain resilient and continue contributing to national economic growth,” she said.

Chairman of Commission VII, Saleh Daulay, expressed appreciation for the Ministry’s mitigation strategies in addressing global dynamics. However, Commission VII also emphasized the need to strengthen connectivity and boost domestic tourist mobility amid current global uncertainties.