High Aeroplane Ticket Prices Damaging South Sulawesi Tourism Sector

The Chair of the Indonesian Travel Agency Association (Asita) South Sulawesi, Didi L Manaba, has stated that high aeroplane ticket prices are driving a decline in tourism visits and have put pressure on South Sulawesi’s tourism sector. Rising ticket prices and the weakening of the rupiah against the US dollar have begun to impact the region’s tourism sector, according to Manaba’s comments reported by Antara on Sunday, 24 May 2026.

He noted that reduced tourism visits resulting from increased ticket prices have caused interest in travel to decline, particularly amongst domestic tourists who rely on air transport to reach various destinations across South Sulawesi.

This decline stems from reduced flight frequencies operated by several airlines. The impact is felt not only by travel industry operators but also across the hotel sector, restaurants, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that depend on tourist visits.

Manaba stated that tourism industry players believe flight operational costs have increased due to expensive imported components and fuel prices, which are affected by rupiah weakness. Consequently, aeroplane ticket prices have risen sharply and affected the public’s purchasing power for travel.

Furthermore, the reduction in flight frequencies could potentially limit the length of stay for tourists in South Sulawesi. If this situation persists, hotel occupancy rates and visits to tourist destinations are feared to decline further.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of the South Sulawesi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Satriya Madjid, stated that current rupiah weakness is beginning to pressure various business sectors, including tourism and hospitality, which are heavily dependent on air mobility. According to him, amid these pressures, business operators hope the government can maintain economic stability and provide support to the tourism sector through policies that encourage flight connectivity and strengthen domestic tourism.

Several industry players are also promoting local tourist destinations to encourage the public to continue choosing domestic tourism despite global economic conditions remaining unstable.