Indonesia Sees Strong Potential in Shopping Tourism

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia has significant opportunities to develop shopping tourism as a new source of economic growth, supported by rising domestic and international tourist mobility throughout the first half of 2026.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, said international tourist arrivals reached 7.45 million in the first half of 2026, a 5.71 percent year‑on‑year (yoy) increase.

“In many countries, tourists’ main destinations are dining and shopping. So this is what we need to encourage, so that they shop in Indonesia,” Minister Airlangga said at the opening of the Indonesia Retail Summit and Expo (IRSE) 2026 in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 26, as quoted by Antara.

He noted that shopping tourism could become one of the new drivers of the national economy. “For the government, this is low‑hanging fruit, and for retailers, the momentum is already in place,” he said.

This potential comes not only from foreign tourists but also from domestic travelers. Domestic tourist trips in the first half of 2026 reached 630.41 million, up 2.71 percent (yoy).

According to Minister Airlangga, high tourist mobility can stimulate various economic activities, including shopping, dining, arts, culture, and the promotion of national retail products. Shopping campaigns can also be integrated with tourism and cultural events to broaden their impact.

Minister Airlangga added that modern retail can showcase local products to both domestic and international tourists. This initiative also has the potential to redirect some of the tourist spending that has traditionally gone overseas.

“We see that tourist spending on overseas travel services amounts to USD 6.7 billion. So if some of that can be redirected toward shopping in Indonesia, that would certainly be a positive development,” he said.

The government is also encouraging the retail sector to maintain this momentum amid a challenging global economic climate. “Indonesian retailers have demonstrated resilience and have been able to withstand challenges to support the national economy,” he said.

He urged retailers to strengthen inventory management, distribution, and product quality. Adequate product availability is considered crucial to prevent consumers from shifting their spending overseas. ***