hile the outlook for the tourist sector remained positive in 2024, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is gearing up to carry out new superior programs to foster quality tourism and meet the 2025 tourism target.
Revealing the tourism outlook for 2024 and new superior programs for 2025, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said that a positive tourism growth performance throughout 2024 was confirmed by a number of performance indicators.
The tourism contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) stood at 4.01 percent in the first half of 2024, which exceeded the contribution that the tourism sector made in 2023, at 3.9 percent.
Quoting data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the ministry revealed that foreign tourist arrivals amounted to 11.6 million as of October 2024, which is expected to continue to grow until December.
“The number of foreign tourist arrivals is even close to the realization in 2023, which was 11.7 million foreign tourist arrivals,” said Widiyanti in an end of 2024 press conference at Balairung Soesilo Soedarman, Gedung Sapta Pesona, in Jakarta, on Dec. 20.
The event was attended by Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Luh Puspa and all echelon I and II officials within the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry.
Widiyanti continued that the number of domestic tourist trips from January to October 2024, reached 839.4 million, which is expected to grow until the end of 2024. The figure is close to the realization of domestic tourist trips in 2023, at 839.7 million trips.
“We are optimistic that the accomplishments in 2024 will exceed the realization in 2023,” she said.
Citing another attainment, she said that Indonesia’s rating on the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) rose from 32 to 22.
As of the third quarter of 2024, foreign exchange income from the tourist sector reached US$12.63 billion. “The tourist sector employed 24.5 million people in the first half of 2024,” she said.
According to Widiyanti, the attainment in 2024 will not only surpass the 2023 performance, but also constitute a tangible contribution to the Asta Cita mission of President Prabowo Subianto, especially in spurring inclusive economic growth, equitable development and preservation of nature and culture.
“This is in line with the direction regarding the Asta Cita vision-based tourist sector development, namely designing development programs that lead to quality and sustainable tourism development,” said the minister
Throughout 2024, Indonesian tourism also earned 67 awards from 32 international tourism organizations. Indonesia won the United Nations Tourism Awards 2024 for Best Tourism Village for Jatiluwih, Bali, and Wukisari, Yogyakarta.
At the occasion, Minister Widiyanti explained that investment realization in the creative economy for the January-September 2024 period reached $2.4 billion, equivalent to Rp35,43. comprising foreign and domestic investment.
Singapore ranked top in terms of foreign investment, followed by Australia, India, Japan and France. “The most preferred business lines include star hotels, restaurants, apartments, bars and playgrounds,” said Widiyanti.
The tourism ministry holds a mandate to achieve several primary targets in 2025. The target for foreign tourist arrivals is set at 14.6 million to 16 million, domestic tourists at 1.08 billion trips, tourist sector contribution to GDP at 4.6 percent, foreign exchange earnings from the tourist sector at between $19 billion and $22.1 billion, and a tourism workforce of 25.8 million people.
“The accomplishments have motivated us to continue giving our best services. The year 2025 is understood as a pivotal moment to build the foundation of quality tourism, an approach that is focused on sustainability and added value,” Widiyanti said.
In her presentation, Widiyanti explained the quick wins program, a short-term program that the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has placed as a priority for implementation. They are Bangga Berwisata di Indonesia (Proud to Visit Indonesia), air ticket price adjustments to make them more affordable, Tourism 5.0 and scaling up the capacity of human resources and business actors.
To anticipate the adverse effect of the global economic uncertainty and the hike in the value added tax (PPN) to 12 percent next year, which might affect people’s purchasing power, she said that the ministry would strive to find breakthrough solutions by, for example, collaborating with other stakeholders, especially tourism actors, to design affordable but quality packages to enable local tourists to keep traveling in the country.
According to Widiyanti, quality tourism packages will be explored optimally, targeting the high-end market tailored to their individual tastes and passions, with a primary focus given to gastro (culinary tourism), marine and wellness tourism.
To attract both domestic and foreign tourists in 2025, the ministry has designed several superior programs. Among these are Gerakan Wisata Bersih (Clean Tourism Movement), Tourism 5.0: AI and Digitalization Event with Indonesian IP, Wisata Naik Kelas (Better Class Tourism) and Village Tourism.
Widiyanti further noted that Better Class Tourism aimed at enhancing the quality of tourism, which will not only seek to increase tourist arrivals, but also pursue the quality of experience that tourists can gain during their stay in Indonesia, and, at the same time, boost shopping activity, which will have an impact on foreign exchange earnings.
To optimize tourists’ safety, security and convenience during the Christmas and New Year holidays in Indonesia, the tourism ministry in collaboration with other stakeholders, including the Transportation Ministry, has established a number of posts (Posko) in tourism areas, especially in disaster-prone sites.
Widiyanti said that moving forward, the ministry would ensure that Indonesia will be increasingly competitive at the global level, not only in terms of attracting tourist arrivals but also offering quality experiences to tourists and travelers.
This article was published in collaboration with Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry
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