Recovering Indonesia's Tourism Through Diplomacy

                                                                                                                                       

This is the english version of "Menyelamatkan Pariwisata Indonesia melalui Diplomasi" published at Kompasiana

Tourism is an essential part of the lifestyle of every individual. In general, tourism is the act and process of spending time away from home for recreation, relaxation, and pleasure seeking while taking advantage of the provision of commercial services. It is supported by various facilities and services provided by the community, businessmen, the government, and local governments.

Tourism has various benefits for both individuals and countries. For individuals, tourism is a way of knowing and getting to the world outside of everyday life. People can see and feel a variety of new experiences gained through these attractions, amenities, and tourism accessibility. 

As for the state, tourism is a very large source of foreign exchange, so it can contribute to the country’s economy and the welfare of the local community. Through tourism, the country can be recognized by the international community, so that it can build a positive image of a country that is useful in establishing relations between countries.

As a beautiful country, rich in nature and culture, Indonesian tourism has been worldwide since ancient times until now. Tourists from various countries flock to see the natural beauty of the tropics, beaches, and the uniqueness of Indonesia’s diverse culture. 

During the last five years from 2014 to 2018, the average growth rate of foreign tourists to Indonesia reached 14% per year, reaching a total of 15.8 million visits.

This number increased from an average annual growth of 9% for foreign tourists between 2009 and 2013. Then in 2019, the number of foreign tourist arrivals increased by 1.88 percent, with a total of 16.1 million visits. The majority of foreign tourists come from Malaysia, Singapore, China, Australia, Timor Leste, and a lot of other places.

As we entered 2020, the Corona Virus, also known as COVID-19, began to spread throughout the world. This has had a major impact on various sectors, especially tourism. According to data from UNCTAD, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism could cost the global economy more than $4 trillion in losses. In addition, job losses in tourism-related sectors are four times greater than in non-tourism sectors.

Indonesian tourism has also not been spared the impact caused by COVID-19. Based on data from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, the number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia decreased drastically in February 2020, and in April 2020, the number of tourists was only 158,000. 

You can imagine how small the income is. In addition, foreign tourists are dominated by Asian countries, especially China, which is the origin of the coronavirus. The total number of foreign tourists who came in 2020 was around 4 million, a drastic decrease from the number of visitors who came in 2019, which totaled 16.1 million.