Jakarta. European visitors are the biggest spenders among foreign tourists to Indonesia, according to new data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), even as the tourism sector has yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels.

European tourists spent an average of $1,916.5 per visit, around Rp 32.2 million, the highest of any regional group, BPS Deputy for Distribution and Services Ateng Hartono said at a press briefing on Monday. The higher spending reflects longer stays, averaging 16.75 days, the longest among all regions.

“Tourists from Europe tend to stay much longer, which directly translates into higher spending,” Ateng said.

Visitors from the Americas followed closely, spending an average of $1,897.23 per visit with an average stay of 12.1 days, led mainly by travelers from the United States. Tourists from Africa spent about $1,741.22 per visit and stayed 15.27 days on average, with South Africa the largest contributor.

Spending by tourists from the Middle East averaged $1,726.02, with visits lasting around 13.06 days, dominated by travelers from Saudi Arabia. Visitors from Oceania, largely Australians, spent $1,398.7 per trip and stayed 9.43 days, while tourists from Asia outside ASEAN spent $1,234.16 and stayed 13.27 days, led by China.

Tourists from Southeast Asia recorded the lowest average spending, at $661.91 per visit, reflecting shorter stays of about 4.33 days. Malaysia remained the single largest source country.

BPS data show that total foreign tourist arrivals reached 15.39 million in 2025, up 10.8% from 2024 and the highest level in the past six years, though still below the pre-pandemic peak of 16.1 million in 2019.

Malaysia continued to dominate arrivals, posting 16.26% growth and accounting for 17.3% of total visits in December. Overall, ASEAN countries contributed 41.3% of total arrivals, expanding 32.8% year on year, while arrivals from non-ASEAN Asian countries fell 9.2%, highlighting an uneven regional recovery.

In December alone, foreign arrivals totaled 1.41 million, comprising 1.22 million entries through main gateways and 182,867 via land border crossings. The figure rose 17.25% month on month and 14.43% year on year, supported by year-end holiday travel.

Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali remained Indonesia’s busiest entry point, particularly for Australian visitors during the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

For 2025 overall, foreign tourists spent an average of $1,267.07 per visit, with an average length of stay of 10.38 days. Average spending fluctuated through the year, ranging from $1,199.71 in the second quarter to $1,297.31 in the third quarter, reflecting seasonal travel patterns.

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