Indonesia’s Travel Tourism Visitors Surge, But Recovery Lags
Indonesia’s tourism industry continues to rebound, with international arrivals surpassing 9 million by August 2024. According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), 9.1 million foreign travelers visited the country between January and August. This figure marks significant progress from pandemic lows. However, despite this growth, these numbers remain below pre-Covid levels, which saw higher traffic.
Tourism in Indonesia took a severe hit during the pandemic, particularly in 2021 when the number of foreign visitors dropped sharply. By 2022, the situation improved with 2.8 million arrivals between January and August. The recovery gained more momentum in 2023, with 7.6 million tourists visiting in the same period. In 2024, the figure rose by 20.38%, breaking the 9 million mark. However, its still lagging behind the 10.7 million visitors recorded in the first eight months of 2019.
In August 2024 alone, 1.3 million foreign tourists arrived, reflecting a 2.23% increase from July and an 18.3% year-on-year rise. Tourisms statistics show Malaysian tourists formed the largest group, with 188,800 visitors. This is followed by Australians at 153,700 and Chinese nationals at 126,100. While Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport remained a favorite entry point for Australian tourists, most Malaysian and Chinese visitors entered Indonesia through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. Tourists spent an average of 8.3 nights in Indonesia during August, further contributing to the sector’s recovery.
Indonesia’s tourism statistics show a steady return of international travel visitors
Although the figures indicate a steady return of international visitors, they are still short of pre-pandemic levels. The ongoing global economic challenges, travel restrictions in some countries, and changes in traveler behavior post-Covid could be contributing factors.
On the domestic front, tourism is booming. Indonesians made 674.6 million trips within the country from January to August 2024, significantly surpassing the 472.2 million domestic travels recorded during the same period in 2019. This surge underscores the importance of domestic tourism as a key driver of economic growth while the international tourism sector works to regain its former strength.
Indonesia’s tourism outlook remains optimistic, with the sector steadily rebuilding. However, the challenge lies in fully regaining the pre-pandemic numbers, particularly in the face of evolving global travel trends.
