Saving Trend Changes Tourists’ Spending Patterns

JAKARTA — Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Luh Puspa highlighted a growing trend of people downgrading their lifestyles as one factor behind changes in tourists’ spending patterns when travelling. She said the phenomenon was having a direct impact on the dynamics of the national tourism industry.

“When we talk about people’s behaviour, some say domestic tourist numbers in Bali are falling. But we can see that this is also related to behaviour,” Ni Luh said last Thursday (29 October 2026).

Ni Luh said these changes in behaviour were happening because people around the world were beginning to cut spending they considered non-essential and prioritise essential needs.

Nevertheless, tourists can still travel, adjusting their costs accordingly. They are choosing to cut their budgets and opt for alternatives they consider more affordable. “They are reducing non-essential spending, including travel. It is not that they are no longer travelling; they still are. But they are cutting their budgets,” she said.

Ni Luh cited changes in transport choices as an example. Travellers who previously flew may switch to private vehicles, as the toll-road network is now connected, or choose to travel by train.

Citing data from state railway operator PT KAI, she said the number of people using trains had also increased. This trend reflects a shift in the public’s preferred modes of transport.

Spending patterns are also changing in accommodation choices. Travellers who previously opted for certain star-rated hotels are beginning to switch to villas. “So consumption is shifting. The number of villas is growing considerably,” Ni Luh said.

She said villas were popular because they offer privacy and can be shared with family. Growth in the number of villas was also evident in Yogyakarta, she added.

Meanwhile, spending on food and drink continued to grow. Ni Luh said data released by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs showed that the sector was still expanding.

“That means spending on food and drink — restaurants, cafés and eateries — is still growing. Growth is continuing,” she said.

She also said the number of tourist trips continued to rise. Domestic tourist trips grew by more than 4 per cent, while international visitor trips increased by more than 5 per cent.

“So we can see that there has indeed been a shift in how tourists spend their money. But in terms of the number of trips, we see continued growth,” Ni Luh said.