Indonesia

The Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform announced that there will be 11,916 civil servants from 38 ministries and institutions moving over to the new capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan in the first phase starting from Sep. Around 1,500 civil servants will move first in Aug to help with preparations for the Independence Day commemoration on 17 Aug

Westlife to hold a concert in the Prambanan Temple area in Yogyakarta on 7 Jun

Mount Ruang Volcano erupted five times on 18 Apr. Over 800 people were initially taken to safety following the first eruption, before four more evacuations prompted authorities to evacuate over 11,000 other residents from nearby areas. Head of Indonesia’s Volcanology Agency warned residents on nearby islands of possible “ejection of incandescent rocks, hot clouds discharges, and tsunami caused by the collapse of the volcano's body into the sea”

Indonesia Dragon and Lion Dance Sport Association (PB FOBI) to hold its inaugural FOBI World Lion and Dragon Dance Championship from 17-19 May, with the expected participation of at least 550 athletes from 10 countries, including Indonesia, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Thailand

The Tourism Minister outlined Indonesia’s sustainable tourism efforts and goals during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Sustainability Week's high-level thematic event on tourism. He highlighted Indonesia’s efforts to enhance locals’ well-being through tourism, such as tourism villages and eco-tourism; efforts to reduce carbon emissions through tourism; alignment with regenerative tourism; as well as Indonesia’s concrete sustainability policies such as carbon emission offset, planting of mangrove trees at tourist destinations, reef restoration, and activities to address waste, food loss, and food waste issues

The Indonesian rupiah weakened 2.27% to 16,200 IDR to the USD, the weakest level since Apr 2020. Bank Indonesia’s Head of Monetary Department said that the bank is “taking steps to maintain rupiah stability by maintaining supply-demand balance in foreign exchange market”

The Health Ministry issued a warning to locals and tourists in Bali to beware of the dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), which “usually increases at the beginning of the year”

The Transportation Minister called on Eid homecomers to make the necessary preparation before embarking on their returning journeys, such as filling up their gas tanks and taking rests at dedicated locations if feeling exhausted. State-owned toll road operator Jasa Marga reported that 961,852 vehicles returned to Jakarta and its surrounding areas on 10-14 Apr, +41% compared to normal day volume

The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture believes that the Eid al-Fitr is handled better in 2024 compared to 2023, particularly in terms of traffic accident rate. He noted that the “number of fatalities and the amount of compensation declined significantly”. The Head of the National Police Traffic Corps reported that the number of traffic accidents nationwide declined from 2,159 to 1,835 on 12 Apr

The Transportation Ministry’s Directorate General of Land Transportation provided 160 buses for Eid travellers from different regions returning to the Greater Jakarta area, as part of its free Eid homecoming programme. The bus travel is organised from nine terminals in five provinces, namely Yogyakarta, East Java, Central Java, West Java, and South Sumatera. The ministry also provided seven trucks to carry 210 motorcycles belonging to Eid travellers to South Tangerang on 14 Apr. The 2024 Eid homecoming programme served 40,088 travellers, +62.33% YoY

The Military Sealift Command (Kolinlamil) Commander reported that 810 Eid travellers returning from Surabaya and Semarang arrived in Jakarta aboard a Navy ship on 15 Apr, as part of its annual Eid homecoming programme

The Transportation Minister announced that the Ministry of State Apparatus and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) has approved a proposal for a work from home for civil service officials on 16-17 Apr during the Eid return flow

Some roads in Ubud, Bali, to be closed on 14 Apr to honour the royal cremation, also known as “pelebon”, at Puri Agung Ubud

PT Jasa Marga recorded 396,318 vehicles leaving the Greater Jakarta area on 10-11 Apr, with 56.1% heading to Trans Java and Bandung city, comprising 127,425 vehicles heading to Trans Java, +146.2% from normal traffic, and 94,900 vehicles heading to Bandung, +68.9% from normal traffic

Head of Public Relations of Ragunan Wildlife Park reported that there are over 27,000 visitors as of 11am on 12 Apr, the second day of Eid. The number reached a total of 69,979 as of 5pm on 12 Apr. The zoo is targeting 800,000 visitors during the Eid holiday period

PT Jasa Marga recorded 1,564,278 vehicles leaving the Greater Jakarta areas from 3-10 Apr, +0.82% YoY and +45.58% compared to normal traffic. A total of 919,862 vehicles (58.80%) were headed to Trans Java and Bandung, 376,133 vehicles (24.05%) to Merak, and 268,283 vehicles (17.15%) to Puncak

The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture announced that Eid travellers are banned from entering ports without purchasing electronic tickets in advance, in order to optimise sea crossings in Merak, Bakauheni, and Ciwandan ports during the Eid homecoming period. The ban is expected to resolve at least 30% of crossing delays

Agung Sedayu Group announced a $2.5 billion USD Tropical Coastland project in Jakarta’s north coast. The development is inspired by Singapore’s Sentosa Island and will feature a 27-hole golf course, a Formula 1 racetrack, and a sports complex

Vice Chair of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Bali Chapter said that domestic tourist arrivals have reached 25,000 by air alone during the Eid holiday, up from 14,000 on normal days. The office reported that domestic tourist spending in Bali during the Eid holidays reached an average of 1-1.5 million IDR per pax. Overall domestic tourist spending in Bali in 2024 increased 5%-10% YoY, with an average of 1.3 million IDR per pax per day, including expenses for accommodation, F&B, souvenirs, and transportation. Hotel occupancy in Bali during the Eid holiday is expected to reach 85%, up from the 65% usually recorded on normal days

The Ministry of Religious Affairs announced that the first day of Eid al-Fitr will fall on 10 Apr

The Tourism Ministry announced plans to launch a MICE platform that will serve as an information hub for MICE stakeholders to view and book venues and meeting rooms. Chair of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association noted that the growth of Indonesia’s MICE industry remains “steady at between 5%-10%”. He added that 40% of total MICE clients nationwide are now government institutions

The Transportation Minister stressed that contraflow and one-way schemes on toll roads are still necessary for a smooth flow of traffic during the Eid homecoming period. The National Police Traffic Corps is developing a policy to reduce the number of accidents on toll roads during the period

The Tourism Minister said that Puncak Pass, which connects several regions in West Java, remains a “top-of-mind destination for tourists and homecomers, especially those using motorbikes”. He also lauded Bogor district and relevant stakeholders for their collaboration to prepare tourism destinations and traffic routs, as well as MSMEs during the Eid holiday period. He reported that local MSMEs in the Puncak Pass area have been provided with training courses that can support them in enhancing their products and bring more economic benefit to a larger population

The Nusa Dua in Bali and The Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara established tourism command posts to ensure smooth and safe Eid holiday season. The tourism posts are managed by InJourney Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and will act as an information centre for tourists and visitors

The Transportation Ministry asked Eid homecoming travellers to prioritise safety, following an accident involving a bus and two minibuses on the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road on the morning of 8 Apr. The ministry also advised travellers to “take a rest for a half an hour every driving for four hours”

A Transportation Policy Agency estimates that over 1.4 million travellers will use the Whoosh Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train during the Eid holidays. A total of 193 million people, or 70% of Indonesia’s population, are expected to travel home during the Eid period, +55% YoY

Chair of the Indonesia Exhibition Companies Association noted an increase in business events activity from China post-pandemic. The China Homelife Indonesia will be held at the Jakarta International Expo from 13-16 Mar, the largest show from China to date. Jakarta will also host the Global Source and Gift Show exhibitions in Sep. Head of Convex and Professional Training at AntaVaya also noted that Indonesia is increasingly becoming an attractive MICE destination for Chinese companies

The Transportation Minister believes that the State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry’s free homecoming exodus programme has contributed to a decline in the number of motorbike homecomers and a decrease in traffic accidents. The programme this year facilitated 94,753 homecomers, with a total of 88 SOEs and SOE subsidiaries preparing 1,536 buses for 70,179 travellers, 60 trains for 19,122 travellers, and 30 ships

The Transportation Ministry reported that 39.32 million or 20.30% of homecoming travellers opted to travel by intercity trains for the Eid al-Fitr period, different from previous years when there were more people travelling by private vehicles. Busiest departure stations include Pasar Senen, Gambir, Bekasi, Cikarang, and Bandung, whilst busiest destination stations include Yogyakarta, Kutoarjo, Lempuyangan, Purwokerto, and Bandung. Other modes of transportation include buses (37.51 million people; 19.37% share), private cars (35.42 million; 18.29%), motorcycles (31.12 million; 16.07%), and rented cars (11.64 million; 6.01%)

The Tourism Ministry issued a Circular on Halal Certification of Food and Beverage Products for Tourism and Creative Economy Business on 25 Mar, in efforts to encourage the acceleration of halal certification processes, especially in tourism villages, as well as increase “literacy insights regarding Muslim-friendly tourism”

Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto met with Malaysian PM to discuss strategies on strengthening bilateral ties. Subianto, who is also the incumbent Defence Minister, also met with his Malaysian counterpart to reaffirm the two sides’ commitment to strengthen defence cooperation

The Nuanu Creative City in Tabanan, Bali, to be opened in Jul. The “mega attraction” will include a beach club, school, wellness facilities, and accommodations, among others. Nuanu is scheduled to host a series of international art, music, and cultural festivals, such as the Suara Festival. Nuanu is also collaborating with brands to develop eco-friendly residential complexes that are integrated with the surrounding environment

The Immigration Department announced that visa processing will be temporarily closed from 8-15 Apr due to the Eid public holiday and collective leave. Visa applications received on the 6 and 7 Apr will start to be processed on 16 Apr. Visa exemptions and visa-on-arrival services will still be accessible

The Religious Affairs Minister announced that Pope Francis would visit Indonesia on 3 Sep

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) instructed nature-based tourism operators to establish evacuation zones to minimise possible disaster impacts during the Eid al-Fitr holiday. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicted heavy rains on the week before Eid (3-9 Apr), sunny and cloudy conditions with likelihood on rain during the Eid week (10=16 Apr), and light to moderate rain in Northern and Central Indonesia the week after Eid (17-23 Apr)

Agoda named Surabaya as the destination with the lowest average accommodation rates in Indonesia for the Apr-May period

The Tourism Minister said that Jakarta will remain the economic centre of Indonesia even when it is no longer the capital city, and aims for Jakarta to become the “fifth largest economic centre in the world by 2045”. The House of Representative passed the Jakarta Special Regional Province Bill (RUU DKJ) on 28 Mar, which was the first step in revoking Jakarta’s status as national capital

The Tourism Minister responded to rumours of Bruno Mars’ concert in Indonesia, revealing that they are “still waiting for Bruno Mars’ side to confirm the concert plan, the promoter team will propose it in a day or two”

Authorities of the new National Capital City (IKN) reported that phase one of the development, which comprises basic infrastructures like the presidential palace and various buildings, is now 75% completed at an investment of $3.2 billion USD. The Tourism Minister reported that six hotels are currently under construction at the IKN. The mid-scale The Vasanta Hotel by Sirius Surya Sentosa and the upscale Nusantara Hotel by the Nusantara Consortium are both set to open in Aug, with an investment value of 20 trillion IDR. Pakuwon Nusantara Abadi is developing Pakuwon Nusantara Area, a 5 trillion IDR “super-block project” which includes a shopping centre, condominium, and three hotels – The Westin, Four Points, and Tribute Portfolio brands. ARCS House Wisata Nusantara is investing around 300 billion IDR in the Jambuluwuk Nusantara Hotel. The Tourism Minister said that accommodation developments are being encouraged to “blend more with (the surrounding) tropical forest”, noting that more glamping facilities, cabins, and ecotourism facilities are under development. Other tourist attractions being developed around IKN include the Mentawir Tourism Village, Pampang Cultural Village, Balikpapan Botanical Gardens, Tanah Merah Beach, and Bangkirai Hill

The Tourism Minister said that the ministry is pursuing a proposal for short-term visa for foreign tourists visiting the Riau Islands. He has asked the Head of the Riau Islands Tourism Agency to send another letter to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in order to expedite the approval process. The ministry hd proposed a $10 USD fee for the short-term visa

Statistics Indonesia reported that annual inflation rate rose to 3.05% in Mar, the fastest in 7 months since Aug 2023, amid rising demand during the month of Ramadhan. Core inflation rate stood at 1.77% in Mar, higher than 1.68% in Feb

The Tourism Ministry distributed a circular letter to stakeholders at the central, regional, and district/city levels, including to business actors and communities involved in tourism activities, containing “guidelines for organising comfortable and enjoyable tours” during the Eid holiday. The ministry will also continue its monitoring during the Eid holiday period from 5-15 Apr. The ministry and relevant stakeholders are also preparing a national tourism system platform, which would provide real-time reports on destinations that are likely to be crowded with visitors

Statistics Indonesia reported that Indonesia welcomed 1,036,037 international arrivals in Feb, +11.67% MoM and +38.24% YoY, comprising 890,864 arrivals through main entry points and 145,173 through border gates. There are a total of 1,963,783 international arrivals in Jan-Feb, +26.87% YoY. Malaysia was the top international source market in Feb (+37.9% MoM and +42.64% YoY), followed by Singapore and China. 43.81% of international arrivals arrived in Indonesia via Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport, with Australians accounting for 20.4% of arrivals through the airport. Average length of stay of international visitors was 7 nights

Bali to host the 10th World Water Forum on 18-24 May, with the expected attendance from 44 Heads of State and over 50,000 representatives. The Ministry of Public Works, Public Housing and Water Resources announced that there will be over 290 events held across the seven-day forum, including a Melukat Ritual at Melasti Beach on 18 May, which will be joined by over 1,500 delegates

Brunei’s Brunergy Utama Sdn Bhd announced that it is proposing a high-speed rail on Borneo, linking Kalimantan, Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei. It would be completed in 2 phases, with a route of 1,620km. Phase 1 would see it connected from West to the East Coast, starting in Pontianak and finishing in Kota Kinabalu, whilst Phase 2 would see North and East Kalimantan being connected to Samarinda and Nusantara

The Indonesian Golf Association (PGI) announced that Indonesia will host the 2026 Queen Sirikit Cup, the country’s fourth time as host

The Bali Province Tourism Office and the Tourism Satpol Police conducted spot checks to ensure all foreign tourists have paid their 150,000 IDR Tourism Tax. Spot checks have been done in Uluwatu so far, with patrols also planned in Tanah Lot, Ulun Danu Beratan, and Tampaksiring soon. Head of the Bali Tourism Service said that around 5%-10% of tourists have not paid the fee, and that they immediately paid using the Love Bali app. He added that the spot checks are planned to be conducted twice a month

Secretary of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) expects hotel occupancy to reach 80% in key resort areas along Bali’s southern coast during Eid al-Fitr period from 9-15 Apr, up from the current average occupancy of 50%-60%

The Tourism Ministry has relaunched the Wonderful Indonesia co-branding partnership programme in 2024, starting with a collaborative campaign called BERKAH (Belanja Extra Murah/ Extra Affordable Sales Activation) during the months of Ramadhan and Eid. The initiative offers a platform for co-branding partners to promote and sell their products or services through the Indonesia.travel website and be further promoted on the ministry’s social media from 28 Mar-12 Apr

Water Resources Expert Staff to the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing announced that the government plans to open the first water museum in Tabanan District, Bali, during the World Water Forum, which will be held in Bali on 18-24 May. He added that they have registered the museum in the international water museum networks

The House of Parliament has designated special status for Jakarta, keeping the city as the economic hub as the capital city move to Nusantara in East Kalimantan. Jakarta will remain the capital city until the president issues an official decree to name Nusantara as the new capital, which is expected sometime in 2024

The Tourism Minister to officially close the Batam Wonderfood & Art Ramadhan on 30 Mar. Head of the Batam City Culture and Tourism Office said that the event successfully attracted tourists, including foreign visitors, and has helped stimulate MSMEs and the creative economy sector. He noted that the foreign tourists came from South Korea, Turkey, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, among others

Bali was ranked 1st, and Lombok 10th, in travel magazine DestinAsian’s 10 “Best Islands” list in its 17th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards

State-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga predicts peak homecoming travel to occur on 6 Apr, with the number of vehicles expected to reach 259,000, based on the number of vehicles leaving the Greater Jakarta Area through four toll gates. The peak return flow is expected to occur on 14 Apr, with the number of vehicles entering through the four toll gates expected to reach 300,722. The total number of returning vehicles to Jakarta is expected to reach 1 million, +4.4% YoY and +117% compared to normal conditions

The House of Representatives has proposed a bill to revise the 2009 Law on Tourism. The Tourism Minister said that the bill needs to be designed “together so it would make a greater contribution in the future”. He noted that ensuring the bill’s adaptability and responsiveness is necessary to create sustainable and quality tourism. The draft tourism bill includes a number of points, including a proposed “paradigm shift”, the management of mass and sustainable tourism, destination management organisation and the strengthening of national identity

The Bali Environment and Forestry Service (LHK) has drafted a plan to use the funds generated by the Bali Tourism Tax, which includes an improved waste management system that builds on the existing Reduce, Reuse Recycling Waste Processing Facilities (TPS3Rs). LHK will receive tourism tax revenue, but any use of the funds will have to wait until next year

The Transportation Minister advised the public to “leave earlier for the homecoming” to avoid heavy traffic during the peak travel period, which is expected to occur on 5-8 Apr. The National Police will carry out the 2024 Ketupat Operation from 4-16 Apr to ensure safety during the homecoming period. There will be 5,784 posts set up in toll roads, rest areas, and tourist destination routes, with 155,165 personnel involved

The Tourism Minister believes that the plan to increase VAT to 12% in 2025 “will not cause much turmoil” in the tourism and creative economy sector. He added: “The most important thing right now is how national economic growth grows so that the community's obligations to taxes can be carried out properly”. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs said the decision to increase VAT will fall on the new government, led by the elected presidential and vice presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka

The Tourism Ministry is studying a plan to offer incentives to boost international tourist arrivals. Director of Tourism Marketing for Asia Pacific noted that any incentive scheme “must be approved by the Ministry of Finance first”. He said that the used to implement incentive scheme in the form of discounts and cashbacks for airfares. He believes that incentives are needed as other ASEAN countries, like Thailand and Singapore, are intensely promoting their tourism with larger budgets