Malaysia has emerged as a crucial player in Indonesia’s tourism revival.
Recent data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) reveals that 188,750 Malaysian tourists visited Indonesia in August 2024, making them the largest group of international visitors for that month.
Other countries also played a significant role in this recovery, with:
- Australia contributing 153,720 tourists
- China bringing in 126,080 tourists
- Singapore following closely with 125,510 tourists
This highlights how neighbouring nations are driving much of Indonesia’s tourism resurgence.
Key entry points for visitors
As international travel picks up, the majority of Malaysian and Chinese tourists have been arriving through Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta, one of Indonesia’s busiest airports, reported CNBC Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Australians have preferred to fly into Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali, a destination known for its beaches and vibrant culture.
These travel patterns underline the importance of major air hubs in connecting Indonesia with the rest of the world.
A Post-COVID-19 bounce back
Indonesia’s tourism industry, which faced a severe decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, is steadily making a comeback. In the first eight months of 2024, Indonesia recorded 9 million tourist arrivals.
This figure brings the country closer to the 10.71 million visitors seen during the same period in 2019, just before the pandemic struck.
Although the current numbers are still slightly below pre-pandemic levels, this marks the strongest recovery since 2020.
“This is the highest level of tourism activity we’ve seen since the pandemic began, although it’s still a bit lower than the numbers we had before COVID-19,” said Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, Acting Head of BPS, during a press briefing.
Encouraging growth in August 2024
The tourism sector’s progress is further highlighted by the growth seen in August 2024, when 1.33 million international tourists visited the country.
This represents a 2.23% increase from the previous month. Even more striking is the comparison to August 2023, which recorded 1.13 million tourists, showcasing an impressive 18.30% year-on-year increase.
This steady rise in arrivals signals that international travelers are regaining confidence in visiting Indonesia.
Main entry points for international visitors
Indonesia’s airports continue to play a central role in accommodating tourists.
- Ngurah Rai Airport (Bali) was the busiest, welcoming 625,560 tourists.
- Soekarno-Hatta Airport (Jakarta) followed with 272,840 arrivals.
- Juanda Airport (Surabaya) saw 38,580 tourists arrive.
Sea routes are also important in bringing tourists to the country, with Batam Port receiving 119,550 visitors. Ports like Tanjung Uban and Tanjung Balai Karimun also saw a steady stream of arrivals.
Although land routes account for smaller numbers, 10,020 tourists entered Indonesia through Atambua, indicating that even lesser-known routes contribute to the country’s tourism boost.
