PHRI urges boost in domestic tourist movement amid rupiah depreciation
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) has emphasised the importance of boosting domestic tourist movement while the Rupiah’s exchange rate against the US Dollar is weakening.
“We must learn much from the COVID-19 period, specifically how domestic tourists were our primary mainstay compared to international tourists. Especially in a situation like this,” said PHRI Secretary General Maulana Yusran when contacted by ANTARA in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Yusran noted that the weakening Rupiah could serve as an advantage for international tourists, allowing them to access cheaper prices when purchasing tickets to visit and explore Indonesia’s beauty. He agreed that this situation has the potential to boost international tourist arrivals.
However, domestic residents currently tend to prefer short-distance travel or ‘staycations’ rather than travelling to other regions. Furthermore, employees still need to take leave to travel further, despite the existence of ‘Work From Anywhere’ (WFA) policies.
This has caused domestic tourists to tend to cluster in familiar destinations such as Java or Bali.
Yusran expressed hope that the government could increase public purchasing power so that the benefits of tourism can be felt more broadly and evenly by the community.
The hotel industry is actively coordinating with partners to promote the beauty of regional destinations through various social media platforms to increase visits and encourage guests to choose nearby hotels. Additionally, PHRI stated that hotel managers regularly prepare themed offerings to welcome tourists during holiday periods.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa stated on Monday (8/6) that the Ministry of Tourism supports the implementation of the BINA Holiday & Back to School 2026 programme, running from 8 June to 12 July 2026.
She expressed hope that the programme could increase Indonesian domestic consumption while contributing to the achievement of the target of 1.176 billion domestic trips and 16-17 million international tourist arrivals.