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View all search resultsRI sees drop in tourists from Middle East, US, Europe amid war
Visitors from the Middle East, Europe and the US typically spend more and stay longer in Indonesia compared with tourists from other regions, Tourism Minister said.
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Tourists walk on April 8, 2026, along Kuta Beach near Denpasar, Bali. (AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)
T
he country’s tourism growth showed signs of strain in the first quarter as visitor arrivals from the Middle East, Europe and America declined amid the prolonged United States-Israeli war against Iran, which has disrupted flights and rattled global travel demand.
Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said the conflict had disrupted international flight connectivity after several countries in the Gulf region temporarily closed airspace, triggering hundreds of flight cancellations linked to Indonesia-bound routes.
The decline was reflected in March data, with tourist arrivals from the Middle East falling 9.51 percent year-on-year (yoy) and European visitors declining 8.5 percent yoy, while growth in arrivals from the Americas slowed to 1.55 percent yoy, according to ministry data.
Read also: Indonesia to tap ASEAN, domestic tourism amid Iran war fallout
Visitors from the Middle East, Europe and the US typically spend more and stay longer in Indonesia compared with tourists from other regions, Widiyanti said, making the slowdown more significant for the tourist sector despite overall gains in headline arrivals.
Average tourist expenditure in the first quarter of 2026 reached US$1,345.61 per visit, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data show, higher than both the previous quarter and the same period last year.
Accommodation accounted for the largest share of spending at 37.23 percent, followed by food and beverages at 20.17 percent, while shopping and souvenirs contributed 11.06 percent.
