Indonesia’s first international B2B tourism event, the Wonderful Indonesia Tourism Fair (WITF), took place from 2 to 4 October at Swissotel Jakarta PIK Avenue, marking a major milestone for the nation's tourism industry.
Over the three-day event, 195 buyers from 38 countries – including Japan, Latvia, India, the USA, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe – gathered, offering Indonesia a global platform to showcase its stunning natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.
Unveiling Indonesia’s natural wonders
The opening ceremony was officiated by Deputy Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Angela Tanoesoedibjo. Minister Sandiaga Uno, who was unable to attend in person, delivered a recorded keynote speech in which he emphasized the event’s goal of showcasing Indonesia’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.
“I hope WITF will continue to grow, attract global tour operators, and strengthen our natural tourism ecosystem,” Uno said.
The industry bands together
Photo Credit: Rin Hindryati
WITF 2024 is a fully self-funded event, organised by the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) with support and endorsement from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.
“We initiated this event last year to attract more inbound markets. It is a B2B tourism fair attended by 195 buyers from 38 countries and 150 sellers,” said Hariyadi Sukamdani, Chairman of GIPI.
Hariyadi added that WITF will become an annual event, with the next fair already scheduled for 8-10 October 2025.
“I want to remind you to mark your calendars for next year’s WITF. I hope this event brings us closer, allowing you to better understand Indonesia’s potential, while we also learn about your market. It’s time for us to collaborate and explore future tourism opportunities,” Hariyadi urged.
WITF is held back-to-back with the Southeast Asia Business Event Forum (SEABEFF), a government-sponsored international conference focusing on the MICE industry.
Going beyond Bali
Photo Credit: Rin Hindryati
Several buyers expressed their excitement about the event and their optimism about bringing more tourists to Indonesia, particularly to destinations beyond Bali.
“Bali is very popular among Japanese tourists, but we want to explore other regions. I found this event very informative, especially regarding train tours, which include luxury train options. It’s impressive,” said Eiji Ogata from Japan.
Ogata also noted that limited promotion of Indonesia’s diverse offerings has led to a lack of awareness among Japanese tourists about other destinations beyond Bali. “It’s a pity we don’t know much about Indonesia’s diversity and cultural variety. Compared to countries like Taiwan, Korea, and Hawaii, they do a lot more promotion.”
Similarly, Australian buyer Tim Lim acknowledged that Bali remains the top destination for Australian tourists, citing convenient direct flights and relatively low living costs as key advantages. However, he is now eager to promote other destinations after attending WITF.
“I learned a lot about Sumatra as a potential tourist destination. I’ll be expanding my offerings to include cities beyond Bali,” Lim said.
Building a brighter future for Indonesia tourism
Photo Credit: Rin Hindryati
The Indonesian government hopes WITF will contribute to its target of welcoming 14.3 million foreign tourists in 2024, with 9 million already recorded so far this year.
“In terms of foreign exchange, we aim to generate US$15 billion from the tourism sector. We hope this event gains international recognition, bringing even more foreign tourists to Indonesia,” said Ni Made Ayu Marthini, Deputy Minister of Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.