Ministry of Tourism Anticipates Impact of US-Israel Conflict with Iran on Foreign Tourist Visits

Amid the dynamics of Global Geopolitics due to the US-Israel conflict with Iran, the Indonesian government is moving swiftly to ensure the tourism sector remains stable. For this archipelagic nation that views travel as a window to culture and economy, the flow of Foreign Tourists must be safeguarded.

The Ministry of Tourism is preparing strategic mitigation measures to anticipate potential impacts of this conflict on international tourist mobility, particularly those transiting through the Middle East region.

While reviewing conditions at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Thursday, March 5, 2026, Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa emphasized that the government continues to monitor global developments, especially those related to flight connectivity to Indonesia.

"We are continuously monitoring. The Bali Airport GM conveyed that regarding flights to the Middle East, of the five airlines currently operating, indeed some cannot fly yet," stated Ni Luh Puspa in Bali.

Although several Flight Routes are affected, operations at Indonesia's main tourism gateway remain relatively stable. The recorded decrease in flight numbers is only about 0.5 percent.

One supporting factor is Flight Route flexibility. Many tourists are opting for alternative routes via aviation hubs in Asia, such as Malaysia and Singapore.

Malaysia and Singapore have long been key hubs to various destinations in Indonesia.

According to Ni Luh Puspa, flight connectivity data shows that the majority of tourist flows into Indonesia do originate from these two countries.

Malaysia contributes about 28 percent of flight connectivity, followed by Singapore at 18 percent. Meanwhile, the Middle East region contributes around 11 percent.

Other Asian hubs, including Hong Kong, also play a role in maintaining smooth tourist mobility.

"This means our connectivity is still dominated by Malaysia and Singapore," said Ni Luh Puspa.

This picture also aligns with data on Tourist Visits in 2025. The top five contributing countries to tourist arrivals in Indonesia are Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, China, and Timor Leste.

Observing this pattern, the government is further strengthening promotion strategies in the Asia-Pacific region as a mitigation step.

This focus is expected to maintain the stability of tourist visits despite ongoing changes in global geopolitical dynamics.

Besides market promotion, the Ministry of Tourism continues coordinating with various global stakeholders. One key partner is UN Tourism, the World Tourism organization that monitors international travel trends and cross-country tourist mobility.

"We are still continuously monitoring this situation. We will review the latest reports, including developments in Bali, to ensure appropriate mitigation measures for the tourism sector," she concluded.