Indonesia

The Manager of Tourism at Uluwatu Temple reported that the temple saw 800,000 tourists in H1 2024, +12% YoY. The temple expects to reach 1.2 million visitors by year-end. Local community members have expressed concerns regarding the construction work for a major access road project that aims to preserve the cliff face beneath the temple, which allegedly went ahead without the publishing of an Environmental Impact Assessment. A footage recently emerged of construction teams dumping limestone debris into the ocean below. The Department of Public Works said that an environmental impact assessment is still being completed, but work has been started since the crack on the cliff was regarded as meeting some of the criteria of a public emergency

The Regent of Badung has launched the “Badung Terang without Air Cable” programme, which aims to clean up tangles of aerial cables on streets. Director of PT Ajna Bali Propertindo I said that the cables will be organised and integrated into an underground network to ensure public safety, improve aesthetics, and ensure that utilities are managed in a centralised way

The Tourism Minister urged increased vigilance in coastal tourism attractions amid potential threat of a megathrust earthquake

Injourney Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) announced that the construction of the world’s first MotoGP museum in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone, West Nusa Tenggara, is nearly 97% completed

The 5th edition of Asia-Pacific’s only region-specific industry networking event, Further East, will be held at Desa Potato Head in Bali from 4 Nov

The Bali Provincial Government has signed a partnership with Chinese environmental development company CN Weiming, to implement large-scale solutions to handle Bali’s waste management issues. CN Weiming is providing an investment of 225 million USD for a waste treatment plan in Bali

The Tourism Minister said that middle-class interest in travel continues to grow despite economic challenges, but they prefer more affordable or budget tour packages now. He said that the ministry has adjusted their tourism programmes in response to that, including tourism village products

The Batam Authority has again delayed the planned relocation of 189 families residing on Rempang Island in Batam City, Riau Islands province. The relocation was initially scheduled for 1 Sep, before being postponed to 25 Sep. The relocation will be conducted in stages due to weather-related delays in construction of new houses in Tanjung Banun, the area for relocation. The relocation faced strong opposition from residents, with the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) also urging the government to stop all project development activities and relocation plans. The government allegedly has shown a tendency to disregard it and “prioritise the interests of investors in proceeding with the Rempang Eco City project”

Acting Governor of Bali announced that the Bali Provincial Government has made a proposal to the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment to implement a moratorium on the construction of new hotels, villas, discos, and beach clubs in the Sarbagita (Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, and Tabanan) area for, initially, 1-2 years. This proposal focuses on the issue of converting rice fields into commercial land and the regulation of Online Single Submission (OSS) permits that do not involve the provincial government. The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment said that he is actively working on creating the new legislation, noting that the moratorium could be in effect for the long-term, possibly up to five or ten years depending on the evaluation

The Tourism Minister endorses the proposal for a moratorium on the construction of new hotels in Bali, adding that the government will soon finalise the policy. He said that the details of the new policy will be completed in the coming few days and then discussed in a limited meeting with President Jokowi

American pop-rock band Maroon 5 to hold a concert at the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) on 1 Feb 2025

The Tourism Ministry has proposed to the House of Representatives several programmes to strengthen the tourism and creative industries, including through digitisation to develop tourism villages, as well as improving human resources quality

Indonesia and Eswatini have signed a visa-free agreement for holders of diplomatic and official passports (PBVDD) at the Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF), which was held in Bali from 1-3 Sep

Around 87,000 people joined the grand holy mass with Pope Francis at Gelora Bung Karno Jakarta

The Bali Tourism Office conducted spot checks at Ulun Danu Bertatan and the surrounding tourism destinations in Bedugul on 4 Sep, to verify whether foreign tourists have paid the 150,000 IDR Bali Tourism Tax. The office noted that more spot checks are expected to be done throughout the area in the coming week

The Tourism Minister, at the press conference of the 2nd Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) and High-Level Forum on Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships (HLF-MSP), pointed out that Indonesia can learn about conservation tourism from Africa, particularly Zanzibar, whose 30% income comes from tourism focusing on wildlife-watching. He noted that Algeria, Sudan, and Morocco were interested on studying sustainable tourism and MICE management from Indonesia

The Tourism Minister believes that Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia will promote peace and ease geopolitical tensions, which will bring positive effects on national tourism and economy

The Chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency issued a warning to hiking guides and tourists to take climbing Indonesia’s mountains more seriously, noting that there are many “reckless” climbers who have had to be saved by Search and Rescue Teams nationwide, but especially in Bali. He added that many rescue missions could have been avoided if climbers had obeyed the rules and regulations

The Tourism Minister said that the Indonesian government plans to optimise the 2nd Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) and High-Level Forum on Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships (HLF-MSP) to boost African tourist arrivals by 20%. He reported that South Africa contributed the most number of tourists to Indonesia among other African countries at 15,000 visitors, followed by Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Kenya. He added that tourists from Africa tend to stay for longer, up to 17 days, and spend around 38 million IDR on average per person

The Tourism Ministry announced that Indonesia and Zanzibar plan to collaborate on tourism through a programme where Zanzibar students will be sent to study at Bali Tourism Polytechnic

Annual inflation rate was recorded at 2.12% in Aug, within Bank Indonesia’s target range of 1.5%-3.5% and only slightly down from 2.13% in Jul. Annual core inflation rate rose to 2.02% in Aug, from 1.95% in Jul

Bintan Resorts has signed a partnership with VFS Global on 29 Aug, aiming to improve the visibility and appeal of Bintan Island among Indian travellers. The collaboration will include a targeted marketing campaign in major Indian cities, with a Bintan-Singapore dual-destination approach

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) reported that Indonesia has welcomed 7.75 million international arrivals from Jan-Jul, +20.7% YoY and the highest since 2020. Indonesia welcomed 1.3 million international arrivals in Jul, +9.42% MoM and +16.91% YoY. Malaysia was the top source market in Jul, with 177,700 arrivals (-3.26% MoM), followed by Australia (166,900; +15.94% MoM), China (126,100; +28.38% MoM), Singapore (102,300), Timor Leste (67,000), India (59,000), France (47,000), and South Korea (46,000)

The Tourism Minister admitted that Indonesia was “reprimanded by the World Economic Forum and the World Travel & Tourism Council” for enforcing a hefty visa-on-arrival fee for international tourists. He noted that many countries had launched measures to boost tourism by waiving visa-on-arrival fees or expanding more visa exemption policies. The minister confirmed that the proposal to revoke visa-on-arrival for Bali’s top source markets is still under deliberation, adding that it is now “being studied on the President’s desk”

The Tourism Ministry is collaborating with a tech-based tourism company to increase the number of domestic tourist visits to tourism villages. The partnership aims to support the Proud to Travel in Indonesia (BBWI) programme, which targets 1.25-1.5 billion domestic tourist trips in 2024. It also aims to increase sales of tourism village tour packages and optimise digital marketing of tourism villages, as well as to raise people’s interest in travelling to domestic destinations, particularly tourism villages. The collaboration also carried out a famtrip to the Borobudur area from 27-29 Aug for content creators, media, tour operators, and travel agents

The Tourism Minister proposed constructing a toll road connecting North and South Bali to improve road access and attract more tourists. He said that he had received approval from the central government to build the toll road, which will enter the tender process in 2025. He added that the ministry is also preparing short-term measures in regards to tourism development in North Bali, including by launching tour packages from Watudodol, Bangsering, Pemuteran, and Lovina by fast boat within the next 30 days. He also targets an increase in domestic tourist visits by launching more flights from Banyuwangi Airport

From Jan-Aug 2024, Indonesia received 13 million international tourist arrivals, with an average spend of $1,500 USD per visit, +50% vs pre-pandemic. The Tourism Minister attributed the increase to its 3S strategy: serenity, spirituality and sustainability. In May 2024, the average stay of foreign tourists was 7.51 nights, lower than May 2023’s 7.87 nights. The Ministry plans to focus on domestic tourism through millennials and Gen Z target markets, remote workers, young families and communities with high spend

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) reported that the number of people classified as middle class has declined by nearly 9.5 million in the past five years, from 57.33 million in 2019 to 47.85 million in 2024. Acting Head of BPS noted that the middle class population began to decline after the pandemic, whilst the aspiring middle class has increased. The aspiring middle class segment is made of 49.22% of Indonesia’s population, at 137.5 million people in 2024, up from 128.85 million in 2019

Agoda announced the top 10 beach destinations in Asia based on searches made on Agoda for September and October. Bali tops the list with an 11% YoY increase in accommodation searches. The other beach destinations are Okinawa, Japan; Danang, Vietnam; Pattaya, Thailand; Phuket, Thailand; Nha Trang, Vietnam; Jeju, South Korea; Penang, Malaysia; Boracay Island, the Philippines; and Cebu, Philippines

The Transportation Ministry has made it mandatory for international tourists to fill out SATUSEHAT Health Pass, an electronic self-declaration form as an effort to curb the spread of Mpox. This policy has come into effect from 27 Aug and will be applied to all foreign tourists including the flight crew and passengers

Anantara Ubud Bali Resort will begin to operate on 1 Oct. The resort will house 85 suites and private pool villas and 15 branded residences

The Singaraja Immigration Office in Bali launched investigations into 9 foreigners for breaking visa rules. Three are from Australia, and the remaining are from China, Germany, Japan, and Romania

Indonesia’s President-Elect said he hopes to implement mandatory 50% palm oil-based biodiesel blending in early 2025 to cut fuel imports by $20 billion USD per year. Indonesia said they are planning to increase the blending to 40% in Jan 2025 from the current 35%. The current President ordered the palm oil industry to prepare for B50, a 50% blend

Peunaga Pasi and Peunaga Rayeuk Villages Residents from Meureubo Subdistrict, West Aceh District cleaned up the spilled coal along the Peunaga Pasi coastline for 3 days. The coal spills occurred frequently along the village coast and the community often paid to collect the spilled coal. The coal mining company will pay 25,000 IDR for each sack of coal collected

Indonesia Sport and Special Interest Tourism Association (ISSITA) was inaugurated at an event in Canna Bali, Nusa Dua on 22 Aug. ISSITA General Chairman said they are the “most active and most specific partner” in building new tourism, especially sport tourism. He said ISSITA will carry out collaborative activities to create an international-level triathlon again in Bali with ISSITA’s local and international network. The Head of the Bali Tourism Office said 30%-40% of the tourism in Bali is focused on the special interest and sports sectors and whilst Bali is mostly associated with health and wellness, sports tourism is booming as well

Indonesia’s election body received parliament’s agreement to issue new rules in line with protesters' demands on 25 Aug. The rule will adopt the Constitutional Court’s decision on 20 Aug which upheld 30 years old as a minimum age for candidates for nominations and clauses that made it easier for parties to make nominations

The Ministry of Tourism (MoTCE) organised a media fam trip to North Bali which includes the Buleleng-Banyuwangi package, which is part of the 3B travel program that highlights Buleleng (North Bali), Bali Barat (West Bali), and Banyuwangi

Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) recorded 330,088 foreign tourists using its service from Jan-Jul 2024. KAI reported 410,051 ticket reservations from 1 Jan-22 Aug by international tourists. KAI served 533,594 foreign tourists in 2023, +95.38% YoY. KAI’s VP of Public Relations at KAI trains remains the preferred transportation method for tourists and Jul recorded the highest number of tourists with 78,441 passengers, followed by Aug with 68,147 foreign tourists, and May with 51,937 tourists. Popular destinations are Bandung, Semarang, Cirebon, Yogyakarta, Purwokerto, Banyuwangi, and Medan. Whoosh, a high-speed train recorded 200,000 foreign tourists from 154 countries in the last 10 months of its operation with the top 5 passengers from; - Malaysia, 85,000 passengers - China. 45,000 passengers - Singapore, 30,000 passengers - Japan, 12,000 passengers - Australia, 11,000 passengers Geographically they are from; - Asia, 148,000 passengers - European continent, 24,000 passengers - North America, 16,000 passengers - Oceanic, 11,000 passengers - Africa, 1,000 passengers - South America, 900 passengers

AeroXSpace, the largest indoor adventure play centre in Bali, has been opened for public

The Indonesia Tourism Investor Club (ITIC) has been launched, aiming to enhance communication among investors, policymakers, and local authorities. Indonesia has received tourism investments of around $1.58 billion USD in H1 2024, with 61% of those coming from foreign investors, especially from Singapore, India, and Australia

The Acting Director General of Disease Prevention and Control at the Health Ministry announced that all arrivals into Indonesia will be required to fill out a health screening form in light of recent outbreaks of Mpox. Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport will also begin thermal screening protocols for all international arrivals

Thousands of people protested in front of the Parliament’s main entrance in Jakarta against proposed electoral changes seen as favouring current President Jokowi and his successor Prabowo Subianto. The protests came after a legislative panel on 21 Aug rushed through a draft legislation that would undermine the Constitutional Court’s ruling on 20 Aug, which maintained age limits for election candidates and ensured smaller parties can run in the Nov regional elections

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) announced that the parliament has decided to drop its plan to revise the law on regional elections following public protests. The law will be applied concurrently with the Constitutional Court (MK)’s ruling regarding the electoral threshold and candidate age limit for the regional head elections. Previously, MK on 20 Aug decided that the threshold for nominating regional head candidates should be solely based on votes gained in regional elections instead of seats in regional parliaments, overriding Article 40(1) of the Law on Regional Leaders' Election, which required parties to either gain 25% of the vote share or 20% of the regional parliaments' seats to nominate candidates. MK also ruled that the age limit for regional head candidates – 30 years for governors and 25 years for district heads and mayors – should be counted from the day of their registration. However, the parliament's Legislative Body and the government on 21 Aug approved revisions, which only partly adheres to MK’s ruling, to the Law on Regional Leaders' Election for ratification at a plenary session. This sparked public uproar nationwide, with demonstrations in several cities, centred at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta. The plenary session to ratify the revisions of the Law on Regional Leaders' Election, which was scheduled on 22 Aug, was called off due to a lack of quorum

The Tourism Minister reported that total investment realisation in Labuan Bajo in Q1 2024 nearly reached 570 billion IDR, the fourth highest value among the 10 Priority Tourism Destinations

The Russian Federation Government announced that its new Consulate General in Denpasar, Bali will open by end-2024

The Komodo National Park (TNK) Centre has begun informing residents, community leaders, religious figures, and tourism associations, to “build collective understanding and awareness” about the need to periodically close the part to protect its ecosystem. The centre proposed a weekly park closure and is collaborating with IPB University experts for a feasibility study, expected to be completed by Dec

IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of Hotel Indigo Bandung Dago Pakar, its second property under the Hotel Indigo brand in Indonesia

Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Ridwan Kamil shared his vision to reimagine the city towards an “advanced Jakarta” following the capital relocation to Nusantara

Over 1,000 traders were impacted by a fire at the Ubud Art Market on 17 Aug, which destroyed around 400 businesses operating in the basement and ground floor of the building. There have been no reported injuries or deaths from the incident. An investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the fire. Traders will be given a new, temporary space to operate their businesses whilst plans are underway to either rebuild or redevelop the market