Such development is needed as Indonesia is seeking more tourist visits from Southeast Asian neighbors as an alternative to the decline in European and American tourist visits, according to Hendry Munief, a member of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI).
“The potential for short-haul tourism, such as those coming from Southeast Asian countries, is very realistic to pursue at this time,” he said in a statement on Monday.
Amid unstable and rising global oil prices, developing an international sea route such as in Riau is considered an alternative to support the tourism sector, he added.
“Therefore, we propose the Dumai-Malacca RoRo route to be immediately activated,” Munief emphasized.
He believed the strategy of pursuing the short-haul market would not be successful without optimizing the potential of the regions closest to the targeted countries. What can be pursued is not only tourism potential but also the industrial sector, considering the tariffs of the RoRo sea route are cheaper.
"Easier access will increase the number of visits and investment in Indonesia. Moreover, the ASEAN market, many of whom are Malay, has cultural ties with the Malay community in Sumatra," he said.
To support tourism, he also noted the important role of the Trans-Sumatra toll road, which connects all provinces on the island.
Global tourism is currently facing the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, sparked by the US-Israeli attack on Iran.
The closure of Iranian airspace from February 28 to March 28, 2026, caused flight disruptions from six major international aviation hubs: Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Medina, and Muscat.
The flight disruptions contributed to the cancellation of approximately 770 flights to Jakarta, Bali, and Medan.
This development is estimated to result in the potential loss of around 60 thousand foreign tourist visits to Indonesia, with potential unrealized foreign exchange earnings reaching around Rp2.04 trillion (US$119.85 million).
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Translator: Bayu Agustari Adha, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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