Indonesia tourism ministry reports growth, Muslim‑friendly destination push

The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism announced the designation of 15 provinces—Aceh, Riau, Kepulauan Riau, West Sumatra, Bengkulu, DKI Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Gorontalo and Yogyakarta—as priority areas for developing Muslim‑friendly tourism. The plan includes festivals such as the Aceh Ramadan Festival, Muslim Life Fest and Batam Wonderfood & Art Ramadan, and a dedicated online portal, Muslim Friendly Travel, to provide information on halal amenities and spiritual‑wellness offerings.

In a separate performance report, the ministry said the tourism sector remained positive through May 2026 despite global geopolitical tensions. Foreign arrivals reached 1.38 million in May, a 5.83 % year‑on‑year increase, bringing the January‑May total to 6.07 million visitors. Growth was strongest from Southeast Asia (+11.06 %) and the Middle East (+5.67 %). The market surplus stood at 0.83 million visits, supporting a positive net tourism foreign‑exchange balance. Hotel occupancy rose to 50.76 % in May, up 2.48 percentage points from the previous year.