Southeast Asia's largest economy witnesses tourism progress in last decade, ranked 22nd worldwide

"According to the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI), Indonesia, which was once outside the top 50 in global tourism, has now proudly risen to 22nd place. We have surpassed countries known for their strong tourism sectors, including Belgium, Turkey, and New Zealand," Indonesian Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said as quoted by the local daily online English-language newspaper Jakarta Globe.

"In ASEAN, we now rank second, surpassing neighbors like Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines."

He added in the last 10 years under President Joko Widodo’s administration, Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, witnessed significant tourism progress and infrastructure development.

Sandiaga noted that while the number of international visitors has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, foreign exchange earnings from tourism have improved due to longer stays and higher spending in local economies.

"We are currently hosting 13-14 million international tourists annually, compared to 16-17 million before the pandemic. However, in terms of foreign exchange, we’ve exceeded previous figures, thanks to tourists staying longer and spending more locally. This has had a positive impact on job creation, with 25 million jobs generated in the tourism sector," the minister said.