Yogyakarta Hotel Association Targets Foreign Tourists to Maintain Occupancy During Ramadan

Yogyakarta (ANTARA) — The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) for the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) is targeting visits from foreign tourists to maintain hotel occupancy rates in Yogyakarta during Ramadan 1447 H.

“Some from abroad have actually started coming in, but not yet in significant numbers,” said PHRI DIY Deputy Chairman for Promotion and Events Muhtar Habibi in Yogyakarta on Wednesday.

According to Habibi, the foreign tourists currently arriving in Yogyakarta are primarily from Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

However, their numbers have not been sufficient to stem the decline in hotel occupancy at the start of Ramadan.

“Most are from Southeast Asia. During the fasting month, probably the largest numbers come from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand,” he said.

Habibi acknowledged that hotel occupancy rates in Yogyakarta have begun falling at the start of Ramadan, despite having averaged around 65 per cent during the period of 1–16 February 2026.

He estimated that occupancy would fall below 15 per cent over the coming days, with some hotels expected to record occupancy below 10 per cent — a pattern that has recurred at the start of the fasting month in recent years.

“This has been happening for five years now. At the start of fasting, we always hit a low,” said Habibi.

To mitigate the decline, Habibi said PHRI DIY member hotels are preparing various Ramadan promotions, including room rate reductions.

Hotel operators are also implementing operational efficiencies whilst preparing for the high season around Eid al-Fitr.

Habibi noted there are no fixed rules regarding a floor for room rate reductions, as each hotel has its own pricing calculations tailored to its market and online sales platforms.

“There aren’t really any fixed rules. It’s up to each hotel, because it’s their own business,” he said.

In addition to room promotions, Habibi added that some hotels are also relying on food and beverage programmes, particularly iftar packages.

However, he assessed that growth in communal iftar package sales this year has not been as strong as in previous years, owing to an increasing number of hotels offering similar programmes.

Currently, PHRI DIY has approximately 479 member establishments, comprising starred hotels, non-starred hotels and restaurants.

Habibi expressed hope that government policies on public transport fare discounts and plans to implement a “work from anywhere” arrangement for civil servants and some private sector employees ahead of Eid 2026 would help boost tourist visits to Yogyakarta.

“Hopefully, with those discounts, tourist numbers will increase — people who weren’t planning to travel home will now do so because transport is cheap,” he said.