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In full-year 2017 Indonesia welcomed a total of 14.04 million foreign visitor arrivals, a new record high and up 21.9 percent year-on-year (y/y) from 11.52 million foreign visitor arrivals in the preceding year. However, Southeast Asia's largest economy failed to achieve its 2017 target of attracting 15 million foreign tourists. Main reason was heavy volcanic activity at Bali's Mount Agung.
The flow of tourists to Bali, Indonesia's top tourist destination, is gradually recovering after the eruption of Mount Agung (although the volcano is still showing activity). Therefore, Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya is optimistic that Bali will welcome at least seven million foreign tourists in full-year 2018.
Balinese furniture and handicraft exporters target a sharp increase in exports to the United States after European demand for Balinese furniture and handicraft products has plunged significantly over the past year. These manufacturers and exporters expect to see a 30 percent (y/y) rise in exports to the world's top economy.
Indonesian authorities decided to keep Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport closed until (at least) Wednesday morning (29/11) as volcanic ashes from Mount Agung jeopardize the safety of air traffic. Since Saturday Mount Agung has been erupting again, leading to the implementation of the highest alert code in the area. Meanwhile, Lombok International Airport, located on neighboring island Lombok, was reopened on Tuesday (28/11).
Bali, the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia (and therefore an important destination for foreign direct investment, or FDI), is optimistic that it will achieve its full-year 2017 investment target. Ida Bagus Made Parwata, Head of Bali's Investment Board (BPMP), said the island targets to see IDR 12.4 trillion (approx. USD $918 million) worth of investment in 2017.
Rising activity at the Mount Agung volcano on the eastern part of Bali has made local authorities decide to impose a 12-kilometer exclusion zone around the mountain's crater. Reportedly, nearly 35,000 people have been evacuated from this zone. Mount Agung has shown unusual activity for the past two weeks, triggered by a series of small earthquakes below the volcano.
Together with Indonesian business partner Hary Tanoesoedibjo, the Trump Organization, which was ran by US President Donald Trump between 1971 and 2017, plans to build the biggest and most luxurious hotel on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, complete with an upgraded golf course and ocean view (which includes a view on the 16th century Hindu pilgrimage temple Pura Tanah Lot). However, this USD $1 billion (six-star) resort project met resistance from the local population.
Music legend David Bowie, who passed away on 10 January 2016 after a battle with liver cancer, wanted to be cremated - and his ashed scattered - on the Indonesian island of Bali. American media reported that the rock star wrote in his will that he be cremated according to a Buddhist ritual (although Bali is better known for its Hinduism-inspired rituals). If it would be impossible to be cremated on Bali, then he would still want his ashes to be scattered on the island. Reportedly, Bowie was cremated in New Jersey (USA) on 12 January.
In line with rising tourism in Indonesia, the value of hotel construction in Southeast Asia's largest economy is expected to grow 16 percent to IDR 21 trillion (approx. USD $1.6 billion) in 2016. Most of the new projects - roughly 21 percent - are located in the Greater Jakarta area. Besides tapping the tourism potential, hotel developers also want to tap the business potential, meaning that due to expected accelerated economic growth in 2016, there will arrive more foreign businessmen in Indonesia to attend meetings and other activities, particularly as the ASEAN Economic Community comes online.
In Indonesia, authorities temporarily closed down operations at five airports, including international airport Ngurah Rai in Denpasar on Indonesia’s tourist hotspot Bali. This decision was made due to the eruption of Mount Raung (located in East Java). The volcano’s level of activity has increased over the past seven days and is now spewing ash and debris high into the air, jeopardizing the safety of air passengers. Due to the shutdown of the five airports, it is estimated that thousands of travelers have been affected.
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In Indonesian media it was reported that Sandiaga Uno, who is Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, stated that the country managed to collect a total of USD $10.46 billion in foreign exchange earnings from the tourism industry during the first three quarters of 2023.
For me, G20 summits were always interesting occasions as the leaders of the world’s strongest economies gather to discuss plans to move forward. This year, however, it was the first time that I was quite reluctant to follow the summit (despite the 2022 edition being organized on the Indonesian island of Bali).
As we have discussed in earlier reports and articles, the tourism industry is among the heaviest affected industries amid the COVID-19 crisis. Travel restrictions (such as mandatory COVID-19 tests and vaccines) and in some cases full travel bans set by governments across the world are discouraging people from traveling.
At the 50th anniversary of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association in mid-February 2019, Indonesian President Joko Widodo emphasized that the tourism industry should become the biggest industry in Indonesia in terms of foreign exchange earnings. Indonesia – a huge Archipelago that consists of more than 17.000 islands – has so much to offer to (foreign) tourists, such as beautiful beaches and countryside, flora & fauna, diving spots, wildlife, culture, culinary, historic relics as well as vibrant city life. However, so far, it fails to tap its full potential.
After having successfully hosted the 2018 Asian Games last September, Indonesia hosted the 2018 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group on Bali on 8-14 October. Every year, the IMF and World Bank organize these meetings to discuss the latest financial and economic developments that occurred across the globe, while also poverty eradication and other key global issues – such as protectionism and climate change - are placed high on the agenda. The main themes of this year’s meetings include digital development and investing in human capital, which resulted in the “Bali Fintech Agenda” as well as the launch of “Human Capital Index”.
Saturday 17 March 2018 is a public holiday in Indonesia. On this day the Hindu community of Indonesia, which mostly lives on the island of Bali, celebrates Nyepi i.e. the Day of Silence or the Hindu New Year in the Balinese Saka calendar. As Nyepi is a day of self-reflection for the Indonesian Hindu community, activities come to a near complete standstill from 6 am to 6 pm. Local rules instruct that Hindus are not allowed to light fires (or lamps), work, eat, talk, nor are they allowed to be engaged in any sort of other entertainment.
The tourism industry of Indonesia is one of the most important industries in terms of the nation's foreign exchange earnings. However, compared to its neighboring countries - specifically Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand - Indonesia lags behind in terms of foreign visitor arrivals. This "failure" is partly attributed to the weak state of Indonesia's infrastructure. This includes the lack of enough airports or the lack of enough aircraft and passenger handling capacity at existing airports.
For the third time Indihome Prambanan Jazz will be held this year on 18-19 August 2017. A line up of international musicians, including Shane Filan and Sarah Brightman, are scheduled to entertain thousands of music lovers in a charming setting in front of the Prambanan Temple complex near the city of Yogyakarta (Java).
Around the globe there are plenty of fraudulent investment scams offered to investors (for example the "ponzi scheme", "pump and dump", and many others). This also occurs in Indonesia, or, related to Indonesia. Perpetrators can be Indonesian or foreign. In case of foreigners, the offshore investing scheme is a popular scheme (and a fairly simple one in the era of Internet). Criminals offer victims a lucrative investment opportunity in Indonesia, promising big profits. However, investors will never see their money again.
Indonesia's Tourism Ministry is optimistic it can boost the number of American tourists who visit Indonesia by 25 percent to 375,000 individuals in 2017. Last year a total of 300,000 US citizens visited Indonesia for a holiday, up 11 percent year-on-year (y/y) from US visitor arrivals in the preceding year. Arief Yahya, Indonesian Tourism Minister, said the island of Bali is the favorite tourist destination for American tourists in Indonesia.
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