Jakarta (ANTARA) – Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said that international tourist arrivals from January to September 2026 reached a cumulative 12.01 million visits, an increase of 5.01 percent compared to the same period last year.
In September 2026, international tourist arrivals totaled 1.43 million, up 2.31 percent compared to September 2025, despite the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, which temporarily disrupted flights at eight airports and affected travel for more than 454,000 passengers.
“Amid various global dynamics and domestic challenges, the tourism sector continues to grow, improve in quality, and make a real contribution to the national economy,” Widiyanti said at the Ministry of Tourism’s Monthly Performance Report presentation in Jakarta on Monday.
She said the achievement was made possible by swift mitigation measures and cross-sector coordination, which helped minimize the impact.
International tourists’ average spending per visit, known as Average Spending per Arrival (ASPA), reached US$1,374, equivalent to Rp23.52 million, in the third quarter of 2026, an increase of 5.95 percent compared to the same period last year.
Cumulatively, ASPA from January to September 2026 reached US$1,336, equivalent to Rp22.36 million, growing 6.18 percent.
Widiyanti further said that the Middle Eastern market continued to record positive growth of 2.33 percent, while the European market contracted by 4.27 percent. Arrivals from other Asian regions increased by 9.51 percent, followed by Oceania at 7.51 percent and Southeast Asia at 5.81 percent.
Meanwhile, domestic tourist trips from January to September 2026 reached 938.84 million, an increase of 4.1 percent compared to the same period last year.
In September alone, domestic tourist trips totaled 96.69 million, up 2.47 percent compared to September 2025.
“This figure shows that the domestic market remains the main strength of Indonesian tourism,” Widiyanti said.
The increase in tourist movements also contributed to a higher Room Occupancy Rate (ROR) at star-rated hotels, which reached 51.78 percent in September 2026, up 1.62 percentage points from September 2025.
Cumulatively, the occupancy rate from January to September 2026 reached 49.81 percent, an increase of 2.23 percentage points compared to the same period in 2025.
Citing the latest data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), Widiyanti also said that Indonesia’s economy grew by 5.47 percent in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.
Several sectors closely linked to tourism recorded strong growth, particularly accommodation and food and beverage services, which expanded by 11.22 percent.
This was followed by other services, which grew by 8.32 percent; transportation and warehousing, by 8.03 percent; and business services, by 6.77 percent. Together, these four business sectors contributed 1.07 percentage points to national economic growth.
According to the Ministry of Tourism’s estimates, the tourism sector as a whole contributed approximately 4.03 percent to national gross domestic product (GDP) through the third quarter of 2026.
“This achievement confirms that tourism is not only continuing to grow but also playing an important role in driving the economy, creating business opportunities, and delivering tangible benefits to communities in various destinations,” she said.
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma S, Fauzul Azhim Bin Fakhrurazi
Editor: Primayanti
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