Indonesia books US$8.43 billion tourism FX revenue in H1 2026

Makassar, South Sulawesi — Indonesia’s tourism sector generated about US$8.43 billion in foreign-exchange earnings in the first half of 2026, Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Luh Puspa told a graduation ceremony at Makassar Tourism Polytechnic on Saturday, 19 September 2026, underscoring the industry’s role in supporting economic growth and the country’s foreign-currency reserves, according to local media reports.

Puspa said the January–June 2026 performance reflected continued positive momentum for tourism following the sector’s recovery in 2025, when Indonesia recorded 15.39 million international tourist arrivals, around 1.2 billion domestic tourist trips and about US$18.27 billion in tourism foreign-exchange earnings.

According to coverage of her remarks at the Makassar Tourism Polytechnic graduation, Puspa framed tourism as a key driver of national economic growth, highlighting the sector’s contribution to foreign-exchange income and employment.

First-half 2026 performance

Government and media reports state that foreign-exchange earnings from tourism in the first half of 2026 reached about US$8.43 billion, equivalent to roughly IDR 145.13 trillion using prevailing exchange rates.

The same data show that tourism foreign-exchange receipts grew around 2.88 percent year-on-year from approximately US$8.20 billion in the first half of 2025.

Local and international outlets citing official figures add that Indonesia recorded about 7.45 million international tourist arrivals and more than 630 million domestic tourist trips in the first six months of 2026, marking continued expansion in visitor numbers.

Comparison with 2025

Indonesia’s tourism sector posted strong results in 2025, with foreign-exchange earnings of about US$18.27 billion, according to multiple reports based on government data.

Statistics published by national broadcasters and tourism-focused outlets indicate that the country welcomed roughly 15.39 million international tourists in 2025, surpassing earlier government targets, while domestic travelers made around 1.2 billion trips.

While the full-year 2025 revenue figure is not directly comparable with the first-half 2026 result because of the different time periods, officials and analysts have cited the year-on-year increase in foreign-exchange earnings in early 2026 as evidence of resilience and ongoing growth in the sector.

Bali’s share not broken out

Available national-level tourism data for the first half of 2026 do not provide a detailed provincial breakdown of foreign-exchange earnings, and recent reports summarising the figures do not separately identify the contribution from Bali.

As a result, the published information does not show how much of the US$8.43 billion in tourism foreign-exchange revenue in the first half of 2026 was generated by visitors to Bali or by businesses based on the island.

Media coverage of Puspa’s address in Makassar focuses on national trends and policy priorities rather than destination-level performance, leaving Bali-specific foreign-exchange, arrival and spending data to be derived from separate statistical releases.

Call for sustainable, quality tourism

In her remarks to the Makassar Tourism Polytechnic graduates, Puspa encouraged new tourism professionals to strengthen the sector’s long-term sustainability and focus on improving service quality, not just increasing visitor numbers.

Reports on the event note that she urged graduates to build adaptable skills, work effectively across cultures and uphold local values of mutual reminder, respect and appreciation as they enter the tourism workforce.

Officials and commentators have linked the sector’s expanding foreign-exchange earnings and rising visitor numbers to a broader push for sustainable tourism development, aiming to balance economic benefits with environmental protection and community wellbeing.

Sources

• Koran Jakarta
• BusinessToday (Malaysia)
• Kumparan Bisnis
• Denpasar24
• TRT Indonesia
• Travel And Tour World
• Medcom.id
• Bisnis.com
• ATNews.id
• Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (Facebook)
• Good News From Indonesia (GNFI) on X
• RRI (Radio Republik Indonesia) – Tourism section
• Visit Gilis