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Last year Indonesians went on holiday, abroad, more than ever before. According to the latest data, a total of 9.1 million Indonesians visited some time abroad for their holiday in 2017, up from 8.4 million Indonesian tourists in 2016, or 8.1 million tourists in the preceding two years. What explains this rising trend?
The flow of tourists to Bali, Indonesia's top tourist destination, is gradually recovering after the eruption of Mount Agung (although the volcano is still showing activity). Therefore, Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya is optimistic that Bali will welcome at least seven million foreign tourists in full-year 2018.
Earlier this week it was announced by the Saudi Embassy that King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia decided to extend his holiday on Indonesia's island of Bali by three days. After signing 11 agreements on partnerships between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia with regard to various sectors, ranging from security to oil and gas, King Salman - who brought an entourage of 1,500 people to Indonesia - can now enjoy the beauty of Bali, the most popular holiday destination of foreign tourists in Indonesia.
Indonesian authorities are eager to boost the number of tourists in Indonesia, both domestic and foreign tourists, because this will put the nation's economic wheels in motion, create employment opportunities for local communities and, in the case of foreign tourists, will result in rising foreign exchange earnings. In order to absorb a larger flow of tourists the government of Indonesia wants to see the development of more homestay accommodations across the Archipelago.
The Indonesian government wants to increase the role of nautical tourism in the economy. Currently, nautical tourism only contributes 10 percent to the whole tourism industry of Indonesia. However, by 2019 the government wants to see the figure having doubled to 20 percent, or worth roughly USD $4 billion. Expansion should be achieved by expanding the number of tourist destinations across the Indonesian Archipelago. Nautical tourism includes the marina, charter and cruise industries that combine sailing and boating with holiday activities.
The tourism sector of Indonesia has great potential for rapid growth in the years ahead as the government has been eager to boost growth in this sector by allowing more countries to use the visa-free visit facility and by spending more on infrastructure development to enhance inter- and intra-connectivity (including the development of new airports and harbors). Moreover, Indonesia's tourism sector has plenty of opportunity to expand rapidly because this sector comes from a very low base (for example, compared to regional peers, Indonesia attracts relatively few foreign tourists).
Indonesia will evaluate its visa-free policy as there are reports that some foreigners abuse this facility by conducting illegal activities in Indonesia, for example by taking up employment without having a work permit, engaging in drug trafficking, or spreading radical ideologies in the Archipelago. Through Presidential Regulation no. 21/2016 on Exemptions of Visit Visa, the government of Indonesia allowed citizens from a total of 169 countries to enter and stay within Indonesia (for a maximum period of 30 days).
It is highly likely that Indonesia will achieve its foreign visitor arrival target of 12 million people in 2016. In the first ten months of 2016 a total of 9.4 million foreigners already visited Indonesia, up 9.5 percent year-on-year (y/y) compared to foreign visitor arrivals in the same period one year earlier. Moreover, before the year-end, Indonesia's Tourism Ministry will organize several events - including a soccer tournament on the island of Bintan as well as the Festival Wonderful Indonesia - that should attract many additional foreign tourist arrivals.
Nadjamuddin Ramly, Director of Heritage and Cultural Diplomacy at Indonesia's Ministry of Education and Culture, said authorities plan to limit the number of visitors that are allowed to enter the Borobudur temple in Magelang (Central Java) to 15 people at one time. This move would relieve rising pressure on the structure of the ancient building. Especially in weekends and holidays hundreds of visitors enter the site causing concern about the preservation of the temple that is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia reached 5.29 million in the first half of 2016, up 5.9 percent (y/y) from the same period one year earlier. This implies that only 44 percent of the government's full-year target has been achieved so far. Indonesia's Tourism Ministry targets to welcome a total of 12 million foreign visitors in 2016. Meanwhile, according to the latest data from Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS), foreign visitor arrivals declined in June 2016, both on a monthly and annual basis.
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Soon it will be easier for foreigners (expats) to have a foreign currency bank account (non-rupiah) in Indonesia. Muliaman D. Hadad, Chairman of the Financial Services Authority (OJK), stated it is bound to issue a new regulation that allows for easier banking in foreign currencies in Indonesia. This regulation is made in an effort to raise the country’s foreign exchange reserves and support the ailing rupiah.
Recently the president issued Presidential Regulation number 69 of 2015 on Exemptions of Visit Visa (Visit Visa Regulation). Before the issuance of the Visit Visa Regulation, foreigners were obliged to obtain a Visit Visa before being able to enter Indonesia. Under the new regulation foreigners are exempted from this obligation. The Visit Visa Regulation is an attempt of the Indonesian government to boost the tourist industry and increase the number of foreign tourist in Indonesia. The Visit Visa Regulation is in force since June 10, 2015.
A total of 1,555,609 foreign tourists have visited the island of Bali, the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia, in the first five months of 2015, an 11.3 percentage point growth from the same period last year. Given that the number of foreign tourists usually peaks in the period June-September it is most likely that the government’s target of welcoming 4 million foreign tourists on Bali in 2015 will be achieved, or exceeded. Most tourists that visit Bali originate from Australia, China and Japan.
Indonesian Minister for Economic Affairs, Sofyan Djalil, announced an economic policy package that is to be implement to boost the Indonesian economy, particularly in a move to improve the country’s current account balance, which is the broadest measurement of foreign exchange flows, including trade, services, interest payments and remittances. One new policy change involves visa-free travel into Indonesia. Starting from April 2015, Indonesia will allow foreigners from an additional 30 countries to enter Indonesia without a visa.
The total number of foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia in 2014 was 9.44 million, up 7.19 percent from the preceding year, meaning that the government target of welcoming 9.3 million foreign tourists last year was achieved. As usual, most foreign tourists entered Indonesia through the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, the most famous tourist destination in the world’s largest archipelago. During the whole year of 2014 a total of 3.71 million foreigners spent some time on Bali.
Tourism in Indonesia has posted impressive growth rates in recent years. This development is due to the fact that Indonesia has plenty of beautiful sites and cultural traditions to offer to foreign (and domestic) tourists, improved airline accessibility to Indonesia, and enhanced focus on promotional campaigns in foreign countries. Lastly, and not unimportantly, there have been no violent terrorist attacks in recent years. In the 2000s, a vicious terrorist attack always resulted in a temporary drop in foreign tourist arrivals.
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