The Indonesian government has set an ambitious target of attracting 1.5 million tourists from China to Indonesia this year, more than double the 788,000 visits recorded last year, according to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
Adila Chaerman, head of East Asia Tourism Marketing at the ministry's Regional Marketing Bureau, said international flights to Indonesia play a crucial role as a key factor in increasing the number of international tourists coming to Indonesia. This is especially true for airlines from mainland China and the Macau Special Administrative Region, which have launched several direct flights to Indonesia from 2023 to 2024, as reported by Antara.
Among the 12 Chinese airlines that have resumed direct flights to Indonesia are China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Air Macau.
These direct routes are expected to bring more than 1 million visitors from the world's second largest economy to various cities and regions in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Bali and the North Sulawesi capital of Manado.
Another step to attracting more tourists from China is to participate in various exhibitions such as the Macau International Travel Expo, conduct marketing programs in China, organize familiarization trips for the Chinese market, and cooperate in promotional activities with tour operators or agents.
The government also plans to strengthen the promotion of popular tourism segments such as family vacation packages and honeymoon packages. In addition, luxury vacation packages will be highlighted in promotions, especially for the government's top five priority destinations: Labuan Bajo, Borobudur, Lake Toba, Mandalika, and Likupang.
The number of Chinese tourist arrivals in Indonesia has gradually recovered from the impact of the pandemic. In 2023, the total number of Chinese tourist visits to Indonesia reached 788 thousand, an increase of more than four times compared to the previous year, making China one of the top five countries with the highest number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia.
Most of these visits are to Jakarta and Bali, accounting for three-quarters of the total number of visits. The average length of stay for Chinese tourists is also among the longest compared to other countries.
