Malaysian Media Highlights Rupiah Weakening, Cites Official Statement

Malaysian media have highlighted the weakening of the rupiah. For instance, The Star published an article titled “‘Problem is not even an issue’, Weakening Indonesian rupiah to lure more tourists, deputy minister says”.

The report notes how Indonesian tourism authorities stated that the depreciation of the rupiah against the US dollar could present opportunities to increase foreign tourist arrivals. This condition, the media wrote, increases the country’s affordability for international travellers.

Speaking at the Bali and International Tourism Exhibition in Badung on Saturday, Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa stated that the current currency trend could encourage foreign tourists to not only choose Indonesia as their primary destination but also to extend their length of stay, according to The Star.

In response, the ministry has intensified promotional campaigns to capitalise on this price competitiveness, the official noted. Ni Luh also mentioned that Indonesia aims to record 16-17 million foreign tourist arrivals as the archipelago seeks to enhance what is known as experience-based tourism.

The latest tourist targets indicate that Indonesia intends to surpass its pre-pandemic levels, where the country successfully attracted 16 million foreign tourists. Indonesia has been working to recover its tourism industry since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country in 2020, with a full-year target of 15.3 million foreign tourists set for 2025.

According to Ni Luh, Indonesia’s tourism policy will not only focus on arrivals; the government will also focus on developing experience-based tourism while improving safety standards.

At the time of reporting, the rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar was around Rp 17,835 per US$1 in the foreign exchange market. Meanwhile, against the Malaysian ringgit, the rupiah was trading at approximately Rp 4,482 per RM.