Jakarta. Indonesia is hoping to turn the weakening rupiah into a tourist magnet, as the currency continues to near Rp 18,000 against the greenback.

The rupiah has been on a downtrend following the energy price hikes led by the US-Iran war. Ni Made Ayu Marthini, the deputy for marketing at the Tourism Ministry, sees the falling rupiah “as an opportunity” as many foreigners decide to visit Indonesia.

“There is an opportunity in every challenge. We will seize the opportunity from this weakening rupiah,” Ayu Marthini was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara.

“The plummeting rupiah benefits the tourists, particularly those coming from overseas. For instance, the number of things that they can buy with Rp 1 million [around $56] increases compared to before.”

Tourism packages become more affordable for foreigners. Ayu Maharthini admitted that Malaysian tourists had flocked into the country following the rupiah’s persistent depreciation. However, challenges remain for tourism businesses, including airfare hikes, particularly for travelers who have to fly over the Middle East to visit Indonesia. Ayu Marthini said: “That’s why it’s best to tap the realistic [and close] markets, such as Asia, ASEAN, and Australia. Although it's true Western tourists stay longer, even reaching up to a month.”

Other obstacles may include higher import costs.

“If imported cheese is expensive, perhaps you can substitute it with the locally-made ones. International travelers actually appreciate local products, … but some prefer to use the products that they usually use.”

Rupiah closed at Rp 17,880 per dollar, according to Bloomberg spot market data.

Indonesia recorded around 3.4 million foreign tourist visits in Q1 2026. Malaysians made up 17.14% of the foreign tourists in March, followed by Australians (12.01%) and Singaporeans (9.45%), according to the central statistics agency BPS.