Indonesia

The Ministry of Tourism is drafting a roadmap for the wellness tourism industry that will list Indonesia's wellness products, destinations, services and industry players, the Tourism Minister stated. The ministry is positioning wellness tourism within its special interest tourism development under a priority programme, and cited Global Wellness Institute data showing global wellness tourism spending reached $893.9 billion USD in 2024, +13.8% YoY. It has supported the Jogjakarta Cultural Wellness Festival, which runs on 6-8 Nov 2026

The Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) Chairman cited high aviation costs, rising labour expenses, complex licensing requirements and limited bank financing as pressures on tourism businesses. GIPI plans joint promotions and packages with the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies targeting regional markets, including Malaysia, where Padang, Medan and Bandung will be highlighted

Smoke from fires in Indonesia caused an estimated 3,560 deaths in Sep 2026, according to a study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air reported by AFP. Non-fire pollution caused a further 1,750 deaths, bringing the total to 5,310, +42% from about 3,740 in Aug 2026. About 57.8 million people in Indonesia breathed unhealthy to hazardous air that month, a record, from a peak of 41.3 million in Aug 2026. Pollution deaths in 4 Kalimantan provinces more than doubled to 1,470 from about 700 in Aug 2026, and deaths in 5 Sumatran provinces rose to 1,420 from 760

The government launched an 11 trillion IDR ($660 million USD) railway reactivation programme in West Sumatra on 27 Oct 2026, starting with the 15.3km Kayu Tanam-Padang Panjang section. Construction is expected to begin in early 2027 and the programme to take 3-4 years. It is part of PT Kereta Api Indonesia's plan for a trans-Sumatra railway from Banda Aceh to Bandar Lampung

Indonesia's National Police have named 245 people and 20 companies, 4 of them foreign-invested, as suspects in forest and land fire cases, and investigators have recommended revoking the permits of 23 companies

Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park in Maros, South Sulawesi, must meet preservation, education and periodic reporting requirements to keep its UNESCO Global Geopark status, the Culture Minister stated during a visit to the park

Hotel occupancy gains in Indonesia in H1 2026 were uneven, with Java, Sumatra and Bali recording increases, the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Secretary General stated. He noted that school holidays supported the gains and that they may prove temporary, because hotel demand in Q2-Q4 relies largely on government meetings, training and MICE activity. If government spending efficiency measures continue, occupancy would come under pressure again alongside rising operating costs. Ministry of Tourism data showed star-hotel occupancy of 50.76% in May 2026, +2.48 percentage points YoY from 48.28%, and 46.99% in Jan-May 2026, from 44.85% a year earlier

EIGER Group launched EIGER Nature, an ecotourism destination in Megamendung district, Bogor Regency, West Java, which combines adventure activities, environmental education and nature and culture conservation. The destination was developed over about 5 years and is scheduled to open to the public in phases from 2 Nov 2026. The Tourism Minister stated that tourism development must go hand in hand with regulatory compliance, tourist safety and environmental protection

Manado recorded the largest increase in Agoda accommodation searches by Indonesian travellers for Oct 2026 stays (+214% YoY), followed by Jakarta (+200%), Medan (+194%) and Bandung (+189%), with Solo, Surabaya, Palembang, Bali, Semarang and Yogyakarta completing the top 10, which Agoda linked to interest in local snack and food experiences. The figures reflect searches, not bookings

Mount Rinjani National Park received 80,214 hikers in 2025, 43,236 (54%) of them foreign, and hiking generates about 30,359.52kg of waste a year, the National SDGs Secretariat Head at the Ministry of National Development Planning stated during a visit focused on combining conservation with community ecotourism. He also highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration to merge environmental conservation with sustainable tourism at Mount Rinjani National Park, adding “a destination's popularity can actually threaten its own sustainability if it is not managed properly” and “ecotourism that actively involves local communities can create livelihoods for residents while also helping protect and monitor the area”

Rain on 25-26 Oct 2026 eased the haze in parts of Indonesia, with visibility in parts of Central Kalimantan improving to 3-6km from a low of 50m. Fires have not been fully extinguished, and air travel in Central Kalimantan remains disrupted. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency expects more rain through the week and the rainy season to begin in early Nov 2026

Singapore's Foreign Minister met the President on 28 Oct 2026 during a 3-day visit to Jakarta, and stated that the Singapore Prime Minister and the President had committed to do what is necessary to resolve bilateral issues, including the haze. He added that both sides share a commitment to honouring contracts, following Indonesia's cut in gas exports to Singapore

The Ye concert in Jakarta on 24 Oct 2026 drew 70,000 attendees, 25,000 of them coming from 80 countries, led by Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and China. The concert was estimated to have generated up to 600 billion IDR ($33.1 million USD) in economic activity, the Tourism Minister stated, citing the promoter and the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association. Hotel occupancy around the venue reached nearly 100%

The Ministry of Tourism is supporting Jakarta Fashion Week 2027, held on 26 Oct-1 Nov 2026 with more than 100 collections from Indonesian and international designers, as part of efforts to develop shopping tourism, the Tourism Minister stated

The government's Christmas and New Year transport stimulus covers domestic scheduled flights, trains, passenger ships and ferry crossings, with discounts of up to 30% on fares and up to 100% on certain port service charges, and is expected to benefit around 6.6 million people at a cost of about 883 billion IDR. The VAT waiver on domestic economy class airfares applies to tickets bought on 20 Oct 2026-10 Jan 2027 for travel on 22 Dec 2026-10 Jan 2027, and excludes extras such as excess baggage and seat selection

Indonesia's gas export cuts to Singapore, of about 8%, fall within contractual limits, and a breach would only occur with a cut of 10%, the Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition stated. Singapore's Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry welcomed the clarification that Indonesian suppliers will honour their contracts

Indonesia began cutting pipeline gas exports to Singapore on 24 Oct 2026 and is diverting the gas to power generation in Batam, Bintan and Sumatra, as part of the President’s effort to boost domestic supply. Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA) stated that the cuts are expected to last 18 days and amount to less than 2% of Singapore's daily gas demand. EMA also noted that Singapore's energy supplies remain sufficient

Indonesia began cutting piped gas exports to Singapore on 24 Oct 2026, with the Energy Market Authority (EMA) stating that the total reduction is 17 billion British thermal units per day (BBTUD) over 18 days, less than 2% of Singapore's daily gas demand of more than 1,000 BBTUD. The cuts follow remarks on 22 Oct by Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Minister that Indonesia could stop exporting energy to countries that failed to show it mutual respect. EMA said it has contingency plans and sufficient energy supplies, and Singapore GasCo is ready to import more. Natural gas accounts for about 95% of Singapore's electricity generation

Singapore has widened its probe into companies linked to the Indonesian fires, with the National Environment Agency (NEA) seeking information from 10 Singapore-registered palm oil and forestry firms on their land concessions and fire-prevention efforts, having issued notices to 10 foreign-based companies over the past week. Singapore will also form a panel of law, audit and investigative firms to support the cross-border inquiry

The Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park authority fully reopened tourist access to the Penanjakan viewpoint at Mount Bromo on 23 Oct 2026 after field monitoring found no active hotspots following the recent forest fires. Daily visitors are capped at 2,752, and the reopening covers access points in Pasuruan District. Visitors are banned from lighting campfires, burning rubbish or discarding lit cigarette butts and matches, the National Park Head stated

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency forecasts a delayed start to the rainy season in 529 seasonal zones covering 61.08% of Indonesia's land area, with a very strong El Niño projected to last until early 2027. Rain is expected to arrive gradually from Nov 2026 in 185 zones and from Dec 2026 in 266 zones. Central Java and Yogyakarta have gone 131 days without rain

ITB Asia Select Indonesia, a new B2B travel trade show, will be held in Jakarta on 23-24 Jun 2027, replacing the Travel Meet Asia Jakarta brand, after Messe Berlin Asia Pacific and the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies signed an MoU at ITB Asia 2026 in Singapore. It is the first of a planned series of market-specific ITB Asia Select events connecting international suppliers with local travel buyers

The accommodation and food and beverage sector grew +11.83% YoY in Jan-Aug 2026, the fastest-growing sector, and tourism investment rose by 16.64% YoY in H1 2026, the Tourism Minister stated. Tourism contributed 4.02-4.9% of GDP in H1 2026

The Tourism Minister stated on 21 Oct 2026 that fuel supply in Bali, which had disrupted travel agents relying on rental cars to transport tourists, has improved and is hoped to be back to normal. She did not give the number of agents affected or the losses incurred

The Ministry of Tourism's Mega FAM Trip took international travel buyers on 10-17 Oct 2026 through 4 corridors (Bangka Belitung, West Java, East Java, and North Sulawesi including Likupang), ending with B2B business matching in Jakarta alongside the Wonderful Indonesia Tourism Fair 2026. Partners included China Airlines, China Southern Airlines and the Whoosh high-speed railway

Malaysia and Indonesia are exploring an MoU on the environment and climate change covering the sharing of hotspot monitoring data, the management of high-risk areas and coordinated early action against forest and land fires, the Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister stated in Parliament on 21 Oct 2026. Indonesia accepted Malaysia's offer on 9 Sep 2026 to help fight fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Malaysia's proposals for ASEAN science diplomacy and a sustainable haze fund will be discussed at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in Vietnam in Dec 2026

Haze from forest fires is disrupting tourism operations, with tour operators reporting cancellations. Panorama Destination stated that 2 groups had cancelled trips to Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan. Trans Borneo Adventure in East Kalimantan reported that all its bookings over the past 7 days had been cancelled after flights stopped operating, and bookings through Dec 2026 remain unaffected, but they are uncertain about how the situation will unfold if the fires continue. The Association of the Indonesian Travel Agents President noted cancellations by Singaporean and Malaysian tour groups to Batam, and an operator stated that 2 Singaporean student groups of 60 each had cancelled trips to Jakarta set for the end of Oct 2026. Hotels in Sumatra and Kalimantan are seeing lower occupancy and more cancellations, according to the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Chairman

The Whoosh Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway carried more than 1 million foreign passengers in its first 3 years of operation, about 43% of them (roughly 430,000) from Malaysia, according to PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China. The service carried 18.2 million passengers in total from 17 Oct 2023-16 Oct 2026, including 4.86 million from 1 Jan-16 Oct 2026, and has expanded from 14 to 62 trips a day since its launch

The Ministry of Tourism Deputy for Marketing stated at the Indonesia Tourism and MICE Outlook 2027 that the ministry is developing experience-based products around gastronomy, wellness, marine tourism, textiles, arts and culture under its Go Beyond Ordinary campaign, combining several experiences within one destination, such as walking tours linking Prambanan or Borobudur with local crafts and landscapes

The Ministry of Tourism selected 25 tourism businesses from 19 provinces, out of 564 applicants, for the Wonderful Indonesia Scale-up Hub (WISH) 2026 programme, which offers training, mentoring and business matching in gastronomy, wellness and heritage tourism. The businesses presented their growth plans to investors at a Demo Day in Jakarta on 16 Oct 2026

Traveloka's Southeast Asia Index found that: Searches for Garut rose +48% YoY in Q3 2026 4 of Indonesia's 5 rising domestic destinations were reachable by road within Java Searches for Bandung from Singapore rose +64% YoY Malaysian travellers were buying Traveloka's Borobudur Temple entry tickets

Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism has a budget ceiling of 1.85 trillion IDR for 2026, against 3.8 trillion IDR in 2019, and industry players stated that limited state funding is holding back promotion and leaving tourism performance relatively stagnant. The Indonesian Tourism Industry Association Chairman noted that accommodation units reached 34,702 in 2025 (+20.4% vs 2021), whilst hotel occupancy is projected at 49.3% for 2025, below 55% in 2019. He added that operators are turning to the Jakarta provincial government, which has the budget to support tourism events, including the city's 500th anniversary in 2027

Fuel queues in Bali eased in Denpasar and Badung after an odd-even licence plate policy for vehicles buying subsidised Pertalite gasoline took effect on 17 Oct 2026, although long queues remained in Buleleng and Jembrana. Army soldiers and police have been deployed at fuel stations across the island

Forest fires have burned over 1.9 million ha in Jan-Sep 2026, a conservative estimate according to monitoring site Nusantara Atlas, against the government's last official figure of 202,000ha burned by the end of Jul 2026

Nusa Tenggara Barat ranked 3rd in the Indonesia Muslim Travel Index 2026, behind West Java and Central Java. This was announced during the 13th Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival at the Jakarta International Convention Centre on 16 Oct 2026. Indonesia rose to 2nd in the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026, from 5th in 2025

Fuel queues at petrol stations across Bali have gradually eased, Pertamina Patra Niaga stated, following supply and distribution measures including purchase restrictions and a fuel delivery service. The service, introduced on 15 Oct 2026, lets motorcyclists buy up to 3 litres of subsidised Pertalite (RON 90) per transaction. Bali's Governor introduced an island-wide odd-even system for fuel purchases based on the last digit of the vehicle plate, in effect from 17-19 Oct 2026, with odd-numbered plates refuelling on 17 Oct and even-numbered plates on 18 Oct. Pertamina Patra Niaga stated that Bali has sufficient fuel stock

The Wonderful Indonesia Tourism Fair 2026, held at JIExpo Kemayoran in Jakarta on 15-17 Oct 2026, brought 250-300 potential buyers from 45 countries together with Indonesian tourism businesses for B2B matching, alongside a B2C exhibition, the Tourism Minister stated. Tourism generated $8.43 billion USD (140.95 trillion IDR) in foreign exchange in H1 2026, according to government data

The Youth and Sports Minister stated that Indonesia had not yet decided whether to extend its MotoGP hosting contract beyond this year. Dorna has indicated that it is ready to continue MotoGP at the Mandalika circuit in Lombok under its five-plus-five-year agreement with the Indonesian government, remaining until at least 2031. The operations director of state-owned tourism developer InJourney Tourism Development Corporation stated on 6 Oct 2026 that Dorna's commitment does not amount to formal approval by Indonesia

The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre activated Alert Level 3 for the southern ASEAN region on 16 Oct 2026, the highest rung of its four-tiered alert system, which is reserved for a “high risk of severe transboundary haze in the region” observed over 2 or more consecutive days

The Prambanan Shiva Festival will run from 6 Jan-7 Mar 2027 as part of the Ministry of Tourism's plan to develop Prambanan Temple as a religious tourism destination and to keep it as a living cultural heritage site, the Deputy Tourism Minister stated

Indonesia recorded 127 superyacht arrivals in 2025-2026, the 2nd-highest in Asia-Pacific after Australia, and the domestic yacht tourism market is projected to grow from $261.9 million USD in 2025 to $449.1 million USD by 2033, the Tourism Minister stated. Indonesia has 29 designated yacht entry and exit ports but only 10 marinas with 336 berths in total, and the government is seeking international cooperation to develop marinas in strategic destinations. She added they aim to create a broader tourism ecosystem involving local businesses, tour operators, transport providers, hospitality companies and communities, rather than building more marinas

Ye is scheduled to perform in Jakarta on 24 Oct 2026, the only Southeast Asian stop on his current tour, and promoter Raw Vision Collective expects 15,000 international visitors to attend. Foreign buyers from 73 countries accounted for 52.8% of ticket purchases in the first 24 hours of sales. The event is expected to welcome over 5-9% of international attendees, making it the first event in Indonesia to do so

Fuel shortages in Bali caused queues of up to 3km at several petrol stations on 15 Oct 2026, with motorists waiting hours to refuel and local government introducing work-from-home arrangements

Indonesia's benchmark stock index closed 11.6% lower, its biggest single-day drop since January 1998, after MSCI stated that Indonesia's continued classification as an emerging market is no longer appropriate and proposed moving it to standalone status, a month ahead of a scheduled review. The Jakarta exchange halted trading for 30 minutes at the open and the rupiah slid as much as 0.8% to 18,070 IDR to the US dollar, its weakest since late July

Opus Bay Batam, the island's first integrated resort, is due to open in Dec 2026 with a dedicated ferry terminal and a 493-room hotel, followed in early 2027 by villas, waterfront retail and dining and sports facilities, including the 57-villa Cluny Resorts

Magelang Police revoked its permit recommendation on 13 Oct 2026 for an Andrea Bocelli concert at the Borobudur Temple complex scheduled for 31 Oct 2026, after the Indonesian Ulema Council urged the government to cancel his concerts over his past support for the Israeli military. The Tourism Minister had backed the concerts, which also include a 3 Nov 2026 show at JIExpo in Jakarta, with expected audiences of about 7,000 at Borobudur and 9,000 in Jakarta

The Ministry of Tourism hosted a fam tour in Yogyakarta for Singaporean travel agents on 28 Sep-2 Oct 2026, focused on wellness and culinary experiences and ending with a business-matching tabletop session, to help them develop packages for the Singapore market. The programme was carried out in collaboration with several stakeholders, including Garuda Indonesia and InJourney

Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s Singapore properties recorded double-digit growth in Q3 2026, supported by the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix and business conferences. Occupancy and average room rates across its Asian properties also rebounded in Q3 2026 after a sharp fall in Q2 2026, with the CEO stating that the group could probably meet its 2026 budget. The group plans 10 new-build and major renovation projects across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines in 2027, including new luxury hotels in Bangkok and Phnom Penh. The CEO added that the Middle East conflict had affected travel from the region to the group’s properties in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Bangkok, but the group had picked up demand from leisure and corporate travellers. He also noted that affluent travellers are taking more short-haul trips within Asia, alongside an increase in free independent travellers from China and India. Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore are seeing strong demand, with growth in Vietnam extending beyond HCMC and Hanoi. The group’s properties in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, and Melaka are also recording strong occupancy and average room rates

The President has approved foreign assistance to fight the forest and land fires behind the regional haze, with technical discussions on assistance from neighbouring countries now handled by the National Disaster Management Agency, the Foreign Minister stated. He did not specify which countries had offered help or in what form. About 60,000 personnel have been deployed to fight fires across 6 provinces

Haze reduced visibility in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, to a few dozen metres on 15 Oct 2026, and Timor-Leste began a 3-day school closure because of the haze. The Indonesian government was due to trial dropping dry ice over parts of South Sumatra on 15 Oct 2026 to break up the smoke, and will extend it to other key regions if it succeeds, the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs stated

A blackout of about 16 hours on 12 Oct 2026 across Batam, Tanjung Pinang and Bintan caused estimated business losses of about 233.5 billion IDR ($13 million USD), according to the Batam branch of the Indonesian Economists Association. Hang Nadim International Airport was affected, with air conditioning, baggage conveyors, internet connectivity, and parking services impacted. The Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition stated that lightning and possibly a bat in the network may have caused the outage, with further investigation required

Bali has faced fuel shortages, with queues of up to 1km at petrol stations, after a tanker had trouble discharging its cargo, according to Pertamina's President Director. A tanker carrying more than 22 million litres of fuel had arrived on 13 Oct 2026, enough to meet demand for up to 7 days, and petrol stations in Denpasar and Badung will operate 24 hours a day, the Bali Governor stated

Indonesia has declined to declare its forest fires a national disaster, drawing criticism from Greenpeace and the Indonesian Forum for the Environment. The haze has led Malaysian carriers to cancel flights and Singapore to revive its haze health subsidy scheme

Pertamina Patra Niaga has added 26,200kl of fuel supply for Bali, with tankers arriving on 12, 14 and 16 Oct 2026 at the Sanggaran and Manggis fuel terminals, as queues at petrol stations in Denpasar, Badung and Tabanan continued. Some petrol stations operating 24 hours have run out of fuel, according to a House of Representatives member for Bali, who urged Pertamina to restore normal distribution within 24 hours

South Kalimantan recorded 4,926 forest and land fires affecting 27,202.97ha from 1 Jan-14 Oct 2026, with 44,741 hotspots, according to the provincial disaster management agency. Banjar district recorded the most fires, at 1,116 across 7,054.12ha

The Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) called for higher government spending on tourism promotion at a press conference in Jakarta on 14 Oct 2026, with the GIPI Chairman stating that promotion cannot be left to the private sector alone. GIPI noted that the Tourism Ministry's 2026 budget of 1.85 trillion IDR is well below the roughly 5 trillion IDR ($278.78 million USD) the government collected in visa fees in 2024, and the 1.9 trillion IDR in hotel taxes and 3.95 trillion IDR in restaurant taxes the Jakarta administration collected in 2023. It listed high domestic aviation operating costs, rising labour costs, costly licensing procedures and limited bank financing as structural barriers, and called for targeted promotion in Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and Australia, noting that the weaker rupiah could make Indonesian destinations more affordable. GIPI and its member associations also plan to launch their own integrated travel packages to destinations with direct transport connections, including Padang, Medan, Batam and Bandung

The Environment Minister aims to extinguish all forest and land fires within a month, as fire intensity starts to decline. The government will revise the environmental protection law to remove a clause allowing households to clear up to 2ha of land by burning, and is assessing foreign offers of firefighting assistance by type and effectiveness

The Ministry of Tourism and the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority will pilot Camino de Flores, a walking pilgrimage route inspired by Spain's Camino de Santiago, on 23-27 Oct 2026, with about 70 participants walking about 70km from Bajawa through Boawae to Ende. The route aims to spread visitors beyond Labuan Bajo, and the pilot will test readiness before the route is developed into packages for travel agents. Later stages are planned for Labuan Bajo-Ruteng and Maumere-Larantuka routes

The Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh urged Indonesians in Saudi Arabia to limit non-essential travel and avoid King Khalid International Airport, after deadly missile strikes on the airport on 10-11 Oct 2026. The embassy stated that no Indonesians had been identified among the victims as of 7pm local time on 11 Oct 2026. Saudi authorities also confirmed on 11 Oct 2026 that King Fahd International Airport in Dammam had been struck, with damage assessments and safety inspections still underway

The 2026 Mandalika MotoGP generated an estimated 5 trillion IDR ($271.9 million USD) in multiplier economic impact, the Tourism Minister stated, with hotel occupancy reaching 100% in the Mandalika area and 90% in Central Lombok and Mataram City

Reconstruction of Sade Traditional Village in Lombok, damaged by fire in Aug 2026, began on 3 Sep 2026, with the first phase restoring a mosque, a communal gathering space, a semi-permanent museum and toilets. The rebuild keeps the Sasak houses' traditional architecture and layout whilst adding fire protection systems, evacuation routes and water supply, according to the Tourism Minister. The Ministry of Tourism has also provided 817.5 million IDR in business capital and equipment, including working capital for 69 MSMEs and 15 weaving looms, and is preparing training for local guides on tourism safety and service standards

A fire in Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan, a rehabilitation centre for Bornean orangutans, is among the government's main firefighting priorities, the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs stated. Thick haze has left some fire sites unreachable by helicopter. Indonesia has not yet discussed offers of firefighting assistance from Malaysia and Singapore

Indonesia will raise its number of forest rangers from about 4,500 to 70,000 to strengthen patrols and prevent forest and land fires, the Forestry Minister stated. About 1,000 rangers have been deployed to contain fires in 3 Kalimantan provinces

Indonesia issued 1,351 visas for the 2026 Mandalika MotoGP at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit in Central Lombok on 9-11 Oct 2026, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections stated. It also deployed 50 additional immigration officers at airports, the circuit and surrounding areas

The 2026 Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia at the Mandalika Circuit drew a record 157,875 spectators over 9-11 Oct 2026, up from 140,324 in 2025 and the highest since the circuit joined the MotoGP calendar in 2022. Race day attendance peaked at 65,069. The Youth and Sports Minister stated that any extension of the Mandalika MotoGP contract awaits the President's decision

The Indonesian President and the Egyptian President agreed to push for an Indonesia-Egypt Economic Partnership Agreement and welcomed an initiative to set up a Joint Investment Fund for strategic projects, during the Egyptian President's visit to Jakarta

Tickets for the 2026 MotoGP at Mandalika Circuit in Central Lombok on 9-11 Oct 2026 sold out across all categories, including the premium royal box, the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia Chairman stated. Sales opened in Jun 2026 and early bird tickets sold out in about a week, whilst demand for VIP tents stayed strong throughout

Foreign arrivals to Indonesia from Other Asian markets grew +8.41% YoY from Jan-Aug 2026, Southeast Asia +7.75% and Oceania +7.36%, whilst the Middle East recorded cumulative growth of +1.30%, the Ministry of Tourism reported. Tourism contributed 4.78% of GDP in 2025

Of the 125 regional events supported under the 2026 Karisma Event Nusantara programme across 38 provinces, 89 had taken place in 34 provinces as of 30 Sep 2026. An assessment of 78 events recorded 9.97 million visitors and 888.52 billion IDR ($49.7 million USD) in direct transactions, involving 19,866 small businesses and 120,642 artists, while generating 58,077 jobs, according to the Deputy Tourism Minister

The Department of Environment recorded unhealthy API readings in 38 areas at 3pm on 8 Oct 2026, and the government has stepped up cloud seeding. The Prime Minister stated that the Indonesian President had agreed to take the necessary steps after he contacted him personally. The King has asked the authorities to close schools if the API readings reach over 150

Tickets for the 2026 Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, held at the Mandalika circuit in Central Lombok on 9-11 Oct 2026, were 90% sold, according to the Danantara Indonesia COO

The Minister of Law launched the Geographical Indications (GI) Tourism Indonesia: From Origin to Experience programme, which links GI-registered products with tourism, culture and local communities. It starts on the Dieng Plateau in Central Java with Dieng Mountains Arabica coffee, Dieng carica and Dieng purwaceng, and may later extend to other regions

The Ministry of Tourism is promoting 6 tourism villages as destinations for school educational trips: Terong in Belitung, Krebet in Bantul, Les and Sudaji in Buleleng (Bali), Bugisan in Klaten and Selamanik in Ciamis. The ministry has set up training and mentoring for these villages on curriculum-linked learning packages and safety procedures for student groups, according to the Ministry of Tourism Deputy for Marketing

The Department of Environment recorded unhealthy API readings in 38 areas at 3pm on 8 Oct 2026, and the government has stepped up cloud seeding. The Prime Minister stated that the Indonesian President had agreed to take the necessary steps after he contacted him personally. The King has asked the authorities to close schools if the API readings reach over 150

Indonesia's President has agreed to Malaysia's offer to help fight forest fires in Kalimantan, where more than 1,400 hotspots were detected, according to the Foreign Minister. How the Malaysian team will operate and where it will be deployed are still being negotiated. The Foreign Minister described the haze as extremely severe, exceeding unhealthy levels and nearing the hazardous range

Malaysia's inflation was 1.9% in Aug 2026, below Thailand (2.5%), Indonesia (3.2%), Vietnam (4.9%) and the Philippines (6.1%), according to the World Bank. It expects headline inflation of 2% in 2026, but warned that producer price inflation of almost 11% in Aug 2026 could become a risk later in the year

Indonesia's President has agreed to Malaysia's offer to help fight forest fires in Kalimantan, where more than 1,400 hotspots were detected, according to the Foreign Minister. How the Malaysian team will operate and where it will be deployed are still being negotiated. The Foreign Minister described the haze as extremely severe, exceeding unhealthy levels and nearing the hazardous range

Indonesia will begin its Giant Sea Wall project along about 575km of Java's northern coast, from Banten to East Java, with a mangrove-planting groundbreaking in Oct 2026. Conventional hard infrastructure is due to start in 2027, according to the Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development Deputy for Basic Infrastructure Coordination. The President has estimated the project will take around 20 years. It is designed to protect homes, industrial estates, ports and airports from tidal flooding, land subsidence and rising sea levels

Malaysia's inflation was 1.9% in Aug 2026, below Thailand (2.5%), Indonesia (3.2%), Vietnam (4.9%) and the Philippines (6.1%), according to the World Bank. It expects headline inflation of 2% in 2026, but warned that producer price inflation of almost 11% in Aug 2026 could become a risk later in the year

Mercure Bekasi City Centre will open in Q4 2026 on the rooftop of Mega Bekasi Hypermall in partnership with PT Hotel Utama Bekasi, next to Bekasi Convention Centre in West Java. It will have 172 rooms, 10 meeting rooms and a ballroom for up to 255 guests

Palembang recorded a PM2.5 reading of 1,702µg/m³ on 5 Oct 2026, the highest in Indonesia on the Environment Ministry's air quality index and more than 5 times the hazardous threshold of 300, as haze from forest and land fires entered its third month

An international Geofest will be held at the Batur Geopark Museum in Bangli, Bali, in Jul 2027, bringing together geology experts and geopark managers from across Indonesia and other Asian countries, according to the museum's General Manager. The Tourism Minister, visiting on 6 Oct 2026, urged local governments to expand educational tourism in Bali and said the ministry would help promote the museum internationally

The government launched a Q4 2026 stimulus package. It includes 10kg of rice per month for 33.2 million households, costing about 17.5 trillion IDR, and cash aid of 300,000 IDR per month for 13.3 million workers, totalling almost 12 trillion IDR. The VAT waiver on the first 2 billion IDR of homes priced up to 5 billion IDR has been extended throughout 2027, according to the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs

Indonesia has drafted Disaster Resilient Tourist Village Guidelines, to be standardised across all provinces. Under the guidelines, local operators and homestay hosts will receive crisis management training. They build on National Disaster Management Agency village initiatives in destinations such as Kelawi in Lampung and Karang Bayan in West Nusa Tenggara

Indonesia's Wonderful Indonesia Pavilion at Tourism Expo Japan 2026, held at Tokyo Big Sight on 24-27 Sep 2026, generated potential visits from 5,600 tourists and potential foreign exchange earnings of $7.168 million USD, according to the Ministry of Tourism Deputy for Marketing. Of 1,614 pavilion visitors surveyed, 63.3% had never visited Indonesia and 86.2% chose Bali as their preferred destination

Mount Rinjani National Park reopened the Senaru hiking trail on 3 Oct 2026, after a fire that broke out on 22 Sep 2026. All 5 trails are now open. Preliminary monitoring showed that burned area reached 1,098.75ha as of 29 Sep 2026

Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomy 2026 continued in Yogyakarta with WIG Talks and the Artisan Market on 2 Oct 2026, where attendance exceeded the 300-participant target. The Ministry of Tourism is also running Indonesia Restaurant Months with Priceless by Mastercard across 150 restaurants in 6 cities, as well as chef collaborations at various hotels and restaurants in 3 cities. A Culinary Festival with the Indonesian Shopping Centre Association runs across 32 malls in 14 cities from 7 Oct-1 Nov 2026

Hilton Garden Inn Batam City Centre, the first Hilton in Batam, will open in 2028 with 199 rooms and more than 900sqm of meeting space. It is being developed by PT Sabang Raya Investama