Foreign Tourist Arrivals Rise 13% in July, Tourism Minister Voices Optimism on Growth
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has expressed optimism that Indonesia’s tourism sector will continue to expand through the end of 2025, pointing to solid growth in both foreign and domestic travel.
Widiyanti said on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, that momentum remained strong following July data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), which showed foreign tourist arrivals increased 13.01% year-on-year to 1.48 million. “We are optimistic this trend will continue until the end of the year,” she noted in an official statement.
Malaysia, Australia, and China were the top contributors to arrivals in July, while cumulative January–July figures showed a 10.04% increase to 8.53 million foreign tourists. Outbound trips by Indonesians grew at a slower pace of 1.79% to 5.44 million, underlining stronger demand for local destinations.
Widiyanti emphasized that domestic tourism was an equally important driver. In July alone, domestic tourist trips reached 100.2 million, up nearly 30% from the previous year, with cumulative growth of 19.25% in the first seven months. By contrast, overseas travel by Indonesians fell more than 5%, signaling a shift in preference toward domestic destinations.
At the same time, she acknowledged challenges in accommodation. Hotel occupancy rates declined 3.57% in July and 3.54% in the January–July period. However, the minister framed the downturn as an opportunity to regulate the sector and adapt to consumer shifts toward alternative accommodations.
To address these issues, the Ministry of Tourism (Kemenpar) issued Circular Letter SE/4/HK.01.03/MP/2025 requiring accommodation providers to obtain business licenses and meet service standards by Dec. 31, 2025. Local governments were directed to supervise unlicensed operators, while associations were tasked with ensuring compliance.
Widiyanti also pointed to the success of cultural events as proof of tourism’s resilience. The Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) program had staged 61 events by early September 2025, engaging nearly 10,000 small and medium businesses and generating Rp 691.3 billion in transactions. The Pacu Jalur festival in Riau drew 1.65 million visitors, creating Rp 165 billion in local economic activity.
The ministry has further strengthened its ecosystem with initiatives such as Halo Wonderful, a new digital communications platform, and cross-ministerial collaborations including the international culinary program “Rasa Rempah Indonesia (S’RASA).”
“Positive momentum reflects the results of development, promotion, and strategic collaboration. Let us safeguard Indonesia’s tourism with the spirit of gotong royong, ensuring it becomes more inclusive and sustainable,” Widiyanti said.
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