Sandiaga Uno, the Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, has used the recent International Tourism Investment Forum (ITIF) to showcase some of the nation’s recent achievements, and provide an update on progress.
“Last year,” noted the minister, “Indonesia attracted over US$3 billion in tourism investment, exceeding our goal of US$2.6 billion. However, 80% of these investments were allocated to hotels, restaurants and cafes,” he added.
According to Uno, Indonesia has seen a 12.57% increase in tourist activity in the past year, with a total of 433.57 million tourist movements documented. The Minister remains optimistic about the continued revival of his nation’s tourism sector and expects to welcome around 14 million foreign arrivals in 2024. Although lower than pre-pandemic levels, this continued growth is a sure sign of revival.
“Indonesia’s travel industry is making strides towards resurgence following the setbacks from the COVID-19 crisis,” noted Mr. Anup Keshan, CEO of Travel and Tour World (TTW), who went on to highlight some of the steps taken thus far by the government: “granting access to 169 countries and emphasising top-notch destinations, embracing technological progress and leveraging the booming market in Southeast Asia, the forecast for 2024 looks bright,” he said.
Another key takeaway from ITIF 2024 was the findings of the 2023-24 Tourism and Creative Economy Outlook report, which revealed that 76.19% of experts confirm Indonesian tourism is recovering well. Of these, 46.15% point to the creation of “high-quality, innovative tourist destinations” as the primary growth catalyst. Regarding international tourist visits, an impressive 71.79% of experts are optimistic about the Southeast Asian market’s ability to boost Indonesia’s tourism industry, which bodes well for the months ahead.
From visa waivers to infrastructure and sustainable development projects, Indonesia is committed to build its way beyond the pandemic era through proactive policy and strategic investments. The latest comments from Minister Uno reveal the full extent of the benefits offered by these actions, while also offering a glimpse of an even more fruitful future. There remains a long way to go, but Indonesia continues to take great strides forward on its tourism revival.
