Minister: Adaptive Strategy Drives Positive Growth in Indonesia's Tourism Sector

Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana stated that Indonesia’s tourism sector recorded positive growth across key indicators in the first half of 2026, thanks to an adaptive strategy implemented by the government. In an official statement confirmed in Jakarta on Monday, Widiyanti explained that the adaptive strategy was executed through market pivoting, strengthening promotions in countries with high growth potential, increasing domestic tourist movement, and developing higher quality products and destinations. These achievements reinforce tourism’s role as a driver of national economic growth, capable of creating jobs, expanding business opportunities, and fostering development in various regions. “The success of tourism is not only measured by the number of tourists who come, but also by the economic benefits they leave for communities, businesses, and regions,” she said. Visitor numbers from other Asian regions increased by nearly 10 per cent, Southeast Asia grew by 8.22 per cent, and the Oceania market rose by 6.60 per cent. This placed Indonesia as the country with the second-highest growth in foreign tourist arrivals in Southeast Asia. The results also demonstrate the effectiveness of the market diversification strategy carried out by the Ministry of Tourism together with various stakeholders. Widiyanti noted that the quality of tourism activity is also improving. Average spending per foreign tourist visit rose by 6.36 per cent to approximately US$1,313. The sector’s growth was also supported by high domestic tourist mobility, which reached 630.53 million trips, an increase of 2.71 per cent compared to the first half of 2025. Meanwhile, the number of outbound trips by Indonesian citizens was recorded at 4.46 million, a decrease of 2.40 per cent, resulting in a visit surplus of 2.99 million. On the investment side, the tourism sector recorded a realisation of Rp39.68 trillion, an increase of 16.64 per cent compared to the same period the previous year. According to her, this increase in investment not only drives the development of tourism facilities but also opens up jobs, strengthens local supply chains, improves service quality, and creates new economic growth centres in various destinations. The increase in tourism activity was also reflected in the hotel occupancy rate, which reached 48.20 per cent, up by 2.48 percentage points compared to the same period last year. She assessed that tourism growth has a multiplier effect on the national economy. In the second quarter of 2026, Indonesia’s economy grew by 5.29 per cent, with sectors closely related to tourism making a significant contribution. The accommodation and food and beverage sector grew by 10.60 per cent, transportation and warehousing by 5.65 per cent, corporate services by 5.08 per cent, and other services by 6.36 per cent. Overall, these sectors contributed around 0.86 percentage points to national economic growth. “These figures show how tourist travel can drive many sectors at once,” said the Minister.