Indonesia recorded over 10 million foreign tourist arrivals from January–August 2025, the highest since 2020, led by visitors from Malaysia, Australia, and China, according to the Central Statistics Agency (Badan Pusat Statistik/BPS).
In August 2025 alone, the number of foreign tourist visits reached 1,505,220, marking a 1.61% increase from July and a 12.33% rise compared with the same period last year. This milestone represents the highest cumulative figure since 2020, reflecting a steady recovery in the country’s tourism sector.
BPS Deputy for Production Statistics, M. Habibullah, explained that the January–August 2025 total demonstrates a double-digit improvement compared to the previous year.
“Cumulatively, from January to August 2025, the total number of foreign tourist arrivals reached 10.04 million, an increase of 10.38% compared to the same period in 2024.” Habibullah said during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday (Oct 1, 2025), as quoted by Detik.
Malaysia Leads as Top Source of Visitors
Based on nationality, Malaysian tourists contributed the largest share in August 2025, accounting for 15.3% of total arrivals. They were followed by visitors from Australia (10.3%) and China (9.3%).
“Compared to July 2025, arrivals from Malaysia increased, while those from Australia and China experienced a decline,” Habibullah noted.
In detail, August arrivals included 229,726 visitors from Malaysia, 155,728 from Australia, 140,667 from China, and 129,864 from Singapore. Malaysia also recorded the strongest month-to-month growth, rising 8.3%, while arrivals from Australia and China fell 10.11% and 2.67%, respectively.
Bali and Jakarta as Main Gateways
When broken down by entry points, Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport remained the top gateway, welcoming 682,839 foreign tourists in August 2025. Visitors from Australia, China, India, and Malaysia dominated arrivals at the island’s airport.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport ranked second with 304,970 arrivals, followed by Batam (144,698), Juanda-Surabaya (37,406), and Kualanamu-Medan (29,858).
Despite Bali’s leading position, BPS noted a month-to-month decline in arrivals through Ngurah Rai due to the end of the Australian winter school holiday and China’s summer vacation.
“There was a month-to-month decline in foreign tourist arrivals through Ngurah Rai Airport, driven by the end of the Australian winter school holiday and the conclusion of the summer break in China,” Habibullah explained.
BPS data further showed that 83% of August arrivals came by air, amounting to 1.11 million visits—a 12.21% increase year-on-year. Sea travel contributed 14.1%, while land border crossings accounted for 2.9%.
Among sea arrivals, the ports of Batam and Tanjung Uban in the Riau Islands dominated with over 169,000 arrivals, or more than 90% of total sea entries. For land crossings, Atambua (East Nusa Tenggara), Jayapura (Papua), and Entikong (West Kalimantan) were the busiest, with a combined total of 34,465 arrivals.
Strong Tourism Recovery Momentum
The steady increase to over 10 million foreign visitors highlights Indonesia’s momentum in reviving its tourism industry. With Malaysia, Australia, and China remaining the top contributors, officials expect further growth as international travel demand continues to rise heading into the final quarter of 2025.
Source: Detik, Bisnis
Photo Credit: Antara Photo/Fikri Yusuf
