School Holidays, Visit Nearby Hidden Gems

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Tourism Ministry is shifting its strategy for the 2026 school holiday season by encouraging citizens to explore hidden gems in their own backyards, rolling out a refreshed domestic travel campaign tailored to current economic realities.

Dubbed "Liburan Cara Baru #DiIndonesiaAja" (A New Way of Holidaying #InIndonesiaOnly), the initiative capitalizes on a growing global and domestic trend of localized travel. The ministry seeks to dismantle the long-standing perception that a fulfilling vacation requires long-distance travel and exorbitant budgets.

Tourism Ministry spokesperson Nia Niscaya revealed on Thursday, June 25, 2026, that contemporary domestic travel is heavily concentrated within regional borders, as travelers increasingly prioritize affordability and ease of access.

"Where do Indonesians actually go when they take a vacation? It is highly evident that most of these journeys take place strictly within their own provinces," said Nia during a press conference in Jakarta, as quoted by Antara.

This hyper-local preference is firmly backed by recent data. According to the ministry, intra-provincial trips between neighboring regencies and cities served as the primary engine for domestic tourism, contributing a massive 67.7 percent of all nationwide tourist movements in 2025.

"This demonstrates that people naturally lean toward nearby destinations. Budgetary constraints play a major role in this consideration, but it is also because these places offer easier accessibility and there are many new, emerging attractions right around us," Nia explained.

Under the New Way of Holidaying framework, the ministry is pointing urban travelers toward rural areas, such as designated tourism villages (desa wisata), which offer distinctive cultural activities and a change of pace from daily city life without the hefty price tag.

"The perception that tourism must be expensive, time-consuming, and far away is no longer the case with this new approach. We can simply travel around our immediate surroundings to explore places and experiences we haven't encountered before," Nia said.

To streamline the process, the ministry is leaning into digital innovation, urging travelers to utilize "MaiA," an artificial intelligence-driven platform designed to generate customized itineraries tailored to individual budgets and preferences.

Furthermore, the government has collaborated with 40 private tourism operators to launch 95 specialized holiday packages. These curated itineraries span nature, cultural heritage, adventure, and marine tourism, specifically designed to appeal to families and students during the school break.

The campaign comes on the heels of positive growth in the domestic sector. The ministry recorded 417.06 million domestic trips between January and April 2026, marking a 1.48 percent year-on-year increase compared to the same period in 2025. ***