Indonesia Intensifies Efforts to Expand Domestic Premium Tourism Market

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry has intensified efforts to strengthen the domestic premium tourism market by connecting tourism businesses with potential buyers through a dedicated business networking forum.

The Luxury Business Networking forum brought together 11 tourism businesses and at least 25 potential buyers, showcasing premium tourism packages priced at more than Rp15 million (US$800) per person and highlighting destinations across Indonesia.

Tourism Ministry Deputy for Marketing Ni Made Ayu Marthini said the initiative aimed to encourage Indonesians to spend more on high-quality domestic tourism products, allowing tourism revenue to circulate within the country.

“We seek to ensure that Indonesians’ money circulates domestically through world-class premium tourism products,” Marthini said in a statement on Tuesday.

She noted that rising geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainty had affected travel patterns worldwide, including Indonesians’ decisions to travel abroad.

According to Marthini, the changing trend presents an opportunity for Indonesian tourism businesses to further develop the domestic premium tourism segment and attract more local travelers.

She highlighted the sector’s significant growth, with domestic tourism trips reaching 1.20 billion in 2025, marking a 17.53 percent increase compared with the previous year.

In the first half of 2026 alone, Indonesia recorded 630.41 million domestic tourism trips, up 2.71 percent from the same period in 2025.

Marthini said the strong domestic tourism figures provide businesses with considerable opportunities to promote high-quality tourism services across the country, particularly those offering comfort, privacy, unique experiences and personalised itineraries.

Against this backdrop, the Tourism Ministry is seeking to facilitate stronger networks between premium tourism businesses, potential business partners and high-end domestic travelers.

She encouraged tourism businesses to diversify and strengthen their product offerings to attract more Indonesian tourists to premium services and destinations across the archipelago.

The ministry expects the expansion of domestic premium tourism to generate greater economic benefits for tourism businesses and local communities in destinations across Indonesia.