Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said the milestone reflects the revitalization of Indonesia’s tourism industry.
"This achievement shows that Indonesia’s tourism recovery is moving in the right direction,” she said during the ministry’s monthly performance report in Jakarta on Friday.
Data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) showed that foreign tourist arrivals in August 2025 reached 1.51 million, up 12.33 percent from the same month last year.
Cumulatively, total foreign tourist visits in the first eight months of 2025 reached 10.04 million, a 10.38 percent increase from the same period in 2024.
Domestic tourism also posted solid growth, with 807.55 million domestic trips recorded between January and August 2025, up 19.71 percent from 674.6 million trips a year earlier.
Meanwhile, outbound trips by Indonesian travelers in August 2025 totaled around 685,000, fewer than foreign arrivals, generating a positive tourism surplus for the national economy.
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“The growing tourism surplus has a direct impact on boosting net foreign exchange earnings and strengthening the sector’s contribution to national revenue,” Widiyanti said.
She added that the surplus also spurred demand for accommodation, tourist spending, job creation, and investment in tourism infrastructure.
The ministry continues to implement strategic programs to enhance Indonesia’s competitiveness, including Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet (WIG), Wonderful Indonesia Wellness (WIW), and Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN).
In 2025, KEN will feature 74 events across 32 provinces, targeting 9.74 million visitors and potential transactions worth Rp719.74 billion. The program involves nearly 12,000 small and medium enterprises, 85,000 artists, and over 90,000 tourism workers.
With this momentum, the government remains confident that tourism will remain a key driver of Indonesia’s economic recovery and bolster its standing as a leading destination in Southeast Asia.
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Translator: Primayanti
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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