Jakarta. Indonesia recorded 11.56 million international tourist arrivals between January and October 2024, a 20.45 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). However, this figure remains lower than the pre-pandemic level of 13.44 million arrivals recorded during the same period in 2019.

"Despite the steady increase, cumulative foreign tourist arrivals up to October 2024 are still below pre-pandemic levels," said BPS Acting Head Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti during a press briefing on Monday.

In October 2024 alone, Indonesia welcomed 1.19 million foreign visitors, a 6.68 percent decline compared to the previous month but a 22.01 percent year-on-year increase from October 2023. Malaysian tourists accounted for the largest share of visitors (16.26 percent), followed by Australians (12.61 percent) and Singaporeans (8.9 percent). Most Malaysians entered via Soekarno-Hatta Airport, while Australian visitors predominantly arrived through Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali.

Hotel occupancy rates also saw growth, with the average star-rated hotel occupancy from January to October 2024 reaching 51.76 percent, up 1.94 points from the same period last year. The highest increases were recorded in Papua Pegunungan, Aceh, and Papua Tengah, while declines were observed in Lampung, West Papua, and West Sulawesi.

Domestic Travelers on the Rise
Domestic outbound travel also showed a significant boost, with Indonesians making 731,010 trips abroad in October 2024, up 10.61 percent from the previous month and 10.06% year-on-year.

Cumulatively, outbound trips from January to October reached 7.38 million, a 19.48 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. "While still below pre-pandemic levels, this marks the highest figure in the past five years," Amalia said.

Most outbound Indonesian travelers headed to ASEAN countries, with Malaysia being the top destination, accounting for 29.55 percent of total trips, followed by Saudi Arabia (15.91 percent) and Singapore (13.8 percent). In October, trips to Malaysia and Singapore increased compared to September, while those to Saudi Arabia saw a slight decline.

"Outbound trips to Malaysia reached 216,000 in October 2024, followed by 116,000 to Saudi Arabia and 100,850 to Singapore," Amalia said.

The primary mode of transport for outbound travelers was air travel, accounting for 589,790 trips, while sea and land routes contributed 97,590 and 29,430 trips, respectively.