Jakarta. Travel spending before and during the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holidays is projected to reach Rp 375.2 trillion ($22.7 billion), Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana announced on Wednesday.

Domestic travel typically surges during Eid as millions of Indonesian Muslims return to their hometowns to celebrate with family and friends, marking the end of the Ramadan fasting month.

Widiyanti cited a recent survey by her ministry, which estimates that the holiday period, beginning later this month, will see 146 million trips, with an average expenditure of Rp 2.57 million per trip.

“Based on these estimates, we project total spending to reach Rp 375.2 trillion,” Widiyanti said at a press conference in Jakarta.

To accommodate the expected increase in travel, the government has introduced several policies, including a 14 percent discount on airfares from March 24 to April 7.

“The discount aims to make transportation more affordable during the Ramadan exodus,” she explained.

However, her projection is significantly more optimistic than that of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), which estimates Eid-related spending at Rp 137.97 trillion ($8.4 billion).

“The number of travelers this holiday season is predicted to reach 146.48 million, equivalent to 36.26 million families. With an average spending of Rp 3.75 million per family, total expenditures are expected to amount to Rp 137.97 trillion,” said Kadin’s deputy chairman, Sarman Simanjorang.

The projected number of travelers is based on a survey by the Transportation Ministry, which anticipates a 24 percent decline from last year’s 193.6 million Ramadan travelers.

Sarman attributed the expected decrease to several factors, including the approaching new academic year, which prompts parents to allocate funds for tuition, and a decline in purchasing power due to recent layoffs.

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