Ministry of Tourism prepares to mitigate the impact of the Middle East conflict

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Tourism is preparing strategic mitigation measures to anticipate the impact of the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran on the tourism sector. ‘We are still monitoring the situation closely. We will review the latest reports, including developments in Bali, to ensure the appropriate mitigation steps for the tourism sector,’ said Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa in an official statement confirmed in Jakarta, on Friday. During her visit to Bali on Thursday (5/3), Ni Luh stated that the government continues to monitor developments related to flight connectivity to and from the Middle East. The situation is feared to affect the flow of international visitors to Indonesia. ‘Under the guidance of the Minister of Tourism, we will strengthen the Asia and Pacific markets. With this strategy, we expect the impact of the Middle East situation not to have a significant influence on Indonesia’s tourism performance,’ Ni Luh said. The government will also continue to coordinate with various stakeholders, including the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to monitor developments in the global situation and its impact on international tourist mobility. Ni Luh noted that operational disruptions at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport were relatively small. The decline in flight numbers was recorded at around 0.5 per cent. This occurs as some tourists adjust flight routes via several alternative hubs in Asia, such as Malaysia and Singapore. The two countries have long been the main connectivity hubs to Indonesia, followed by other hubs in Asia such as Hong Kong. Based on flight connectivity data, the largest share comes from Malaysia at 28 per cent, followed by Singapore 18 per cent, the Middle East 11 per cent, as well as Hong Kong and other hubs. ‘In other words, our connectivity is still dominated by Malaysia and Singapore,’ Ni Luh said. Data on international tourist arrivals in 2025 also show that the five largest source countries of visitors to Indonesia come from the Asia-Pacific region, namely Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, China, and Timor-Leste.