Event Tourism Leads Indonesia’s Projected Travel Trends for 2027

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - A survey of tourism experts stated that event tourism is projected to become Indonesia’s most popular travel trend in 2027. About 71.8 percent of experts expect events to motivate travel, encouraging visitors to extend stays and explore attractions.

According to a post on the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism’s Instagram account on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, this projection highlights the growing importance of experiences, as travelers increasingly choose destinations based on memorable activities and meaningful moments. Beyond events, social media is expected to shape travel decisions, particularly among younger travelers discovering destinations through digital content.

Short videos, creator recommendations, and user-generated content increasingly influence destination discovery and travel planning across major social media platforms. These digital influences connect closely with another projected trend, as travelers increasingly seek responsible experiences with lower environmental impacts.

Eco-friendly tourism is expected to grow, alongside nature and adventure-based travel featuring landscapes, outdoor activities, engagement, and compelling stories. These trends reflect stronger interest in experiences that connect travelers with nature while encouraging more responsible tourism practices.

Culinary and gastronomy tourism is also projected to expand through farm-to-table concepts, cooking classes, food tours, and traditional markets. These experiences allow visitors to explore local ingredients, food traditions, and cultures while supporting tourism businesses and surrounding communities.

Indonesia’s projected trends mirror broader global developments, particularly the rise of experience-driven travel involving sports, music, festivals, and fandom. Wellness and transformational travel are also gaining attention, emphasizing wellbeing, personal growth, meaningful experiences, and opportunities for reflection.

However, tourism dynamics in 2027 will depend on several wider factors that could reshape travel demand and destination strategies. One major factor is geopolitical fragmentation, which can affect connectivity, travel costs, tourist confidence, and journey distribution between regions.

Changing traveler demographics represent another factor, creating increasingly diverse and segmented needs across ages, preferences, backgrounds, and travel purposes. Destinations may therefore need to adapt products, services, and experiences to accommodate travelers with increasingly varied expectations and requirements.

Climate change is another influence, affecting travel timing, destination choices, and tourism operations while encouraging climate-adaptive and off-peak tourism. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence and digitalization are becoming increasingly integrated throughout travel, from inspiration and planning to transactions and personalization.

Taken together, these developments suggest that tourism in 2027 will increasingly combine events, experiences, technology, sustainability, and adaptability across destinations. These shifts are expected to shape how Indonesia’s tourism industry responds to changing traveler expectations throughout 2027 and ahead.