Indonesia optimistic about tourism growth despite volcanic disruptions

Bandung, West Java (ANTARA) - Indonesian Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana expressed optimism that the country's tourism sector will maintain its growth trajectory despite a recent wave of volcanic eruptions disrupting travel.'Of course, we must remain optimistic. We need to be adaptive in adjusting our strategies. Our strength lies in encouraging visits from both foreign and domestic tourists,' Widiyanti said after attending an event at the NHI Bandung Tourism Polytechnic on Tuesday.According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), Indonesia recorded 8.98 million foreign tourist arrivals between January and July 2026. The figure represents a 5.23 percent year-on-year increase and the highest level of arrivals recorded since 2020.During the seven-month period, tourists from neighboring Malaysia accounted for the largest share of arrivals at 15 percent, followed by visitors from Australia at 12.34 percent and China at 10.28 percent.The minister acknowledged that recent volcanic activity, particularly the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, has posed a significant challenge to the tourism industry.Data from the Transportation Ministry showed that the eruption recently forced the temporary closure of seven airports across Lampung, Banten, and West Java. The closures disrupted nearly 3,000 domestic and international flights, affecting approximately 341,000 passengers.Widiyanti expressed relief that all seven affected airports had reopened on Tuesday, attributing the swift handling of the severe flight disruptions to coordination among ministries.'Hopefully, there will be no further disruption, as disruptions significantly affect our tourism sector. We want to continue the 5.23 percent growth. Therefore, we must work harder to promote and improve the quality of Indonesia's tourism sector,' she said.