Indonesia says 58.34% of foreign visitors seek its cuisine

Jakarta — Indonesia’s tourism minister said 58.34 percent of foreign visitors to the country took part in culinary or gastronomic activities, underscoring the government’s push to position food as a tourism draw, according to statements reported from a press conference in Jakarta on Sept. 15, 2026.

Widiyanti Putri Wardhana cited data from Statistics Indonesia, known as BPS, saying the figure referred to foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in 2025. She made the remarks during the Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomy 2026 briefing in Jakarta, where the ministry framed gastronomy as part of its quality tourism agenda.

The same reports said Indonesia received 8.98 million foreign tourist visits from January through July 2026 and that the tourism ministry was targeting 16 million to 17 million foreign arrivals for the full year. The government has also linked the gastronomy push to efforts to promote local ingredients, culinary traditions and small businesses across the tourism supply chain.

Wardhana said Indonesian food offers visitors a way to learn about local culture, history and community traditions. In the ministry’s presentation of the program, the theme for Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomy 2026 was given as “From Local Roots to Global Recognition,” with events scheduled in Solo and Yogyakarta from Sept. 26 to Oct. 4.

Tourism campaign and business impact

Officials said the gastronomy program is intended to highlight the origins of ingredients, local knowledge and the philosophies behind Indonesian dishes, then translate them into modern visitor experiences. The ministry also said it is working with the Indonesia Gastronomy Network on the program.

Deputy tourism marketing chief Ni Made Ayu Marthini said culinary promotion could help small and medium-sized enterprises by expanding their exposure. The ministry also said it is cooperating with the Indonesian Shopping Center Association to hold culinary events and promotions in shopping centers, including efforts to feature Indonesian food in mall food courts.

Indonesia Gastronomy Network chair Vita Datau said consumer preferences are shifting toward higher-quality dishes and that younger travelers, including Gen Z and millennials, are helping spread food discoveries through social media. She said some visitors seek out specific regional cuisines, citing Manado food as an example for travelers who prefer spicy dishes.

For hotels, restaurants, food producers and destination managers, the push reflects the wider role of dining in shaping trip planning and visitor spending. The reports did not provide a breakdown of tourism revenue attributable to food, but they placed gastronomy alongside the country’s broader effort to attract more foreign visitors and extend their time and spending in destination areas.

Sources

• RRI
• Bali Discovery