The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism has proposed raising its budget ceiling to Rp2.254 trillion (US$141.72 million) for 2025 to support its key initiatives.
This marks a significant increase from the initially proposed Rp1.489 trillion (US$94.59 million), though it remains lower than the Rp3.182 trillion (US$203.18 million) allocated for 2024.
Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana shared the proposal during a meeting with Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Jakarta.
“The increase is reasonable because the budget ceiling for 2025 is significantly lower compared to 2024,” Wardhana stated.
She also highlighted four priority areas under the ministry’s "Quick Wins" programmes:
Proud of Travelling in Indonesia (BBWI): This includes campaigns, integrated tourism packages, transport cost optimisation, and enhancing destination competitiveness.
Tourism 5.0: Initiatives include digitalising the Calendar of Events, developing AI-powered travel planning tools, and supporting both national and international events.
Affordable airfares: Efforts to make travel more accessible for domestic and international tourists.
Quality Improvement: This involves enhancing human resources and supporting business players in the tourism sector.
Wardhana underscored the ministry’s collaboration with other government agencies to revitalise vocational education and training and to empower communities in tourism villages. These efforts aim to boost quality standards and inclusivity in the tourism sector.
Further discussions on the proposed budget are expected as Indonesia continues to prioritise tourism as a key driver of economic growth.