Impact of War in Iran: Tourism Minister Prepares Strategy to Safeguard Tourism Targets
Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana presented the Ministry of Tourism’s work plan for 2026 during a working meeting with Commission VII of the House of Representatives. In the meeting chaired by the Chairman of Commission VII, Saleh Partaoan Daulay, Widiyanti reaffirmed her commitment to keeping the tourism sector’s performance solid amid global challenges.
Widiyanti acknowledged that the closure of Iranian airspace from 28 February to 28 March 2026 has caused disruptions to flights from six major international aviation hubs: Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Madinah, and Muscat. These six cities have contributed to the cancellation of 770 flights to Jakarta, Bali, and Medan.
She stated that the situation is estimated to cause a potential loss of around 60,000 foreign tourist visits, with unrealised foreign exchange potential reaching Rp 2.04 trillion. “Global geopolitical dynamics certainly put pressure on the tourism sector. However, we continue to implement mitigation measures to ensure that the national tourism performance targets remain on track,” Widiyanti explained in Jakarta on Wednesday (1/4/2026).
Additionally, pressure on the tourism sector also arises from the rise in global energy prices. The price of world crude oil has risen from US$67 per barrel to over US$102 per barrel (a 52% increase) within one month. “This condition triggers an increase in transportation costs through the implementation of fuel surcharges by various international airlines as well as increases in cross-country transport tariffs,” said Widiyanti.
Facing this situation, Widiyanti continued, the Ministry of Tourism has prepared several mitigation strategies to safeguard the achievement of the target of 16-17.6 million foreign tourist visits in 2026. These strategies include pivoting markets to Southeast Asia, East Asia, and medium-haul markets, as well as strengthening international digital campaigns.
Chairman of Commission VII of the House of Representatives, Saleh Partaoan Daulay, appreciated the mitigation strategies prepared by the Ministry of Tourism in facing global dynamics. Nevertheless, his side requested strengthened connectivity and domestic tourist movement amid the current global uncertainty.
Member of Commission VII of the House of Representatives, Putra Nababan, asked the Ministry of Tourism to study the shifting patterns resulting from these strategic changes. This is because he observed differences in behaviour between long-haul tourists (Europe and America), medium-haul (East Asia and South Asia), and short-haul (ASEAN).