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Outlook 2021: Tourism recovery banks on outdoor recreation, domestic market
Growing outdoor recreation and domestic travel are expected to drive the recovery of tourism in Indonesia.
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Visitors enjoy the sunset at Jambak Beach in Padang, West Sumatra, on Dec. 1, 2020. (Antara/Iggoy el Fitra)
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rowing outdoor recreation and domestic travel are expected to drive the recovery of tourism in Indonesia, experts and industry players have said.
“[The tourism recovery] will start with adventure, cultural interactions, outdoor or sports activities,” said Muhammad Baiquni, a tourism expert from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) on Dec. 17, 2020. “[Outdoor recreation] includes beaches, villages and forests.”
A survey conducted by the Kompas research and development team from July to August of last year, which involved 1,200 respondents, found that most Indonesians would prefer to visit outdoor destinations. The survey also found that marine attractions were in the highest demand.
Indonesian Travel Agents Association (Astindo) chair Elly Hutabarat concurred, noting that tourists now tended to look for outdoor activities, including cycling.
“As long as it’s done in the open, where they can get fresh air, it’s really an increasing trend right now,” she told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Tourism has been one of the sectors hit hardest by the pandemic as would-be travelers have cancelled plans in response to fears of virus transmission and mobility restrictions.
