The recent rankings from the Travel and Tourism Department Index (TTDI) show that Indonesian tourism rose to take 22nd place for 2024.

The Southeast Asian nation did not only outstrip its regional neighbours like Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, but it also surpassed Western nations known for the strength of their tourism promotion programmes, particularly Belgium and Turkey. 

Within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indonesia now ranks second.

The result of strong leadership

According to Indonesian tourism minister Sandiaga Uno, the final decade of the Widodo administration ushered in a significant amount of progress to the country’s tourism sector, particularly in terms of infrastructure.

However, the minister also pointed out that the number of tourist arrivals to Indonesia remain short of pre-pandemic levels. Despite this, foreign exchange earnings from tourism are up thanks to longer stays and greater tourist spending within local communities.

Uno remarked:  “This has had a positive impact on job creation, with 25 million jobs generated in the tourism sector.”