Antara News·Indonesia·Friday, October 9, 2026 at 02:57 PM UTC

Indonesia's tourism competitiveness improves in WEF index

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Hreeloita Shanti, Uyu Liman

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s tourism competitiveness has improved during the two-year tenure of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said here on Friday.

Citing the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026 released in September, Wardhana said Indonesia’s overall score rose from 4.46 in 2024 to 4.56 in 2026.

The country now ranks 23rd globally, sixth in the Asia-Pacific region, and second in Southeast Asia, behind Singapore.

“This achievement reflects the government’s strong commitment to tourism sector, as well as the country's abundant natural and cultural resources,” Wardhana said during the Ministry of Tourism’s monthly performance briefing.

According to Wardhana, the TTDI also highlights areas requiring improvement, particularly tourism services and infrastructure, health and hygiene, digital readiness, travel openness, as well as safety and security.

Indonesia ranked first globally in the index's "Prioritization of Travel & Tourism" pillar with a score of 6.12. It also ranked fifth worldwide in price competitiveness, ninth in natural resources, and 15th in cultural resources and socio-economic impact.

Regarding investment, Wardhana reported robust sector-wide momentum. Realized tourism investments surged 56.05 percent, rising from Rp47.14 trillion (around US$2.63 billion) in 2024 to Rp73.56 trillion (US$4.11 billion) in 2025.

“Investments remain heavily concentrated in Bali and Jakarta and are largely focused on amenities,” she noted.

The ministry, says Wardhana, is encouraging investment to be distributed more evenly across other regions, particularly the 13 Priority and Regenerative Tourism Destinations and Tourism Special Economic Zones (SEZs), while expanding investment into tourist attractions.

A key part of the ministry's expansion strategy is attracting foreign investment for marine tourism, specifically yachting and marina infrastructure.

During a business mission to Monaco in September 2026, Wardhana presented Indonesia’s marina development potential to representatives of more than 160 international organizations, promoting the country as an emerging international yachting destination.

The Indonesian delegation also held a closed-door discussion crew certification, master plans for maritime tourism, tourist destination promotion, and investor business-matching.

“As an archipelagic nation located in the Coral Triangle, Indonesia has enormous potential to develop marine tourism, anchored by world-class destinations such as Raja Ampat and Labuan Bajo, as well as more than 700 diving sites,” Wardhana said.

According to Wardhana, the potential could be translated into tangible investments, job creation, upgraded destinations, and economic benefits for coastal communities.

Additionally, Indonesia’s hospitality sector posted steady performance gains. Star-rated hotel occupancy reached 52.52 percent in August 2026, up 2.01 percentage points year-on-year.

Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Luh Puspa said that average hotel occupancy from January to August 2026 stood at 49.56 percent, a 2.30 percentage point increase year-on-year, marked by broad-based growth across one- to five-star properties.

“This indicates steady improvement across our hospitality industry, propelled by rising mobility and tourism activity,” Puspa said.

She added that this momentum has earned international acclaim, with 47 Indonesian hotels and resorts awarded MICHELIN Keys in 2026, up from 33 the previous year.

This places Indonesia second in Southeast Asia for MICHELIN Key-rated properties, behind Thailand.

“This recognition proves that Indonesian hospitality is increasingly celebrated on the global stage, reinforcing our position as a high-quality, premium destination,” Puspa said.

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