PM Modi's visit is expected to boost the number of Indian tourist arrivals to Prambanan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Prambanan Temple brings new hope for Indonesia's tourism sector. The government views this momentum as an opportunity to introduce the cultural wealth of the Nusantara archipelago to the Indian public, while simultaneously expanding Indonesia's appeal within the international tourism market.

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana hopes that Prime Minister Modi's visit will increase global exposure for Prambanan Temple, encouraging more Indian travellers to explore cultural destinations across Indonesia.

"We hope more Indian tourists will visit priority tourism destinations including Prambanan Temple, Borobudur Temple, and Indonesia's cultural tourism villages," stated Widiyanti in Jakarta on Thursday.

According to Widiyanti, Prime Minister Modi's presence at Prambanan Temple alongside President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday 8 July delivered extremely high-value promotional impact. Global media and public attention surrounding this visit is expected to introduce Indonesia's cultural heritage to a far wider audience of potential travellers.

Indonesia and India have shared deep, centuries-long cultural bonds. These overlapping historical values and traditions are recognised as a strong foundation to develop the Indian tourism market, particularly for cultural and spiritual travel segments.

As part of these development efforts, the Indonesian government will formally develop Shivaratri and Maha Shivaratri observances as official religious and cultural event programmes starting in 2025.

Additionally, the Prambanan precinct continues to be enhanced with international-scale public events. The Prambanan Shiva Festival, Prambanan Jazz Festival, and a range of other cultural activities have been added as additional visitor attractions.

Beyond promotional campaigns, the Ministry of Tourism is strengthening cross-stakeholder collaboration to develop appealing travel packages. These efforts are paired with initiatives to improve transport connectivity to the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Central Java.

One key priority strategy is the establishment of direct flight routes to Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA). The government is coordinating with Indian authorities and encouraging state airport operator Angkasa Pura to provide temporary landing and aircraft parking fee waivers as incentives for airlines to launch new routes.

The Ministry of Tourism has also submitted a formal proposal to include India in Indonesia's Visa Free Visit scheme. This proposal is currently undergoing review under coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.

"Through the momentum of Prime Minister Modi's visit, we aim to further strengthen Indonesia's reputation as a world-class tourism destination for Indian travellers and the global community," she added.

Indonesia and India have maintained formal tourism sector relations for decades. Both nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding on tourism cooperation on 8 February 2000, covering promotion, investment, education, professional training, research, and MICE sector development.

This cooperation was expanded in 2018 with the formation of a Joint Task Force to improve maritime connectivity between the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sumatra. This framework has since supported joint tourism promotion campaigns, coordinated travel package development, and regular cultural exchange programmes.

Travel demand from the Indian market continues to show consistent positive growth. Between January and May 2026, arrivals from India to Indonesia reached 298,450 visitors, marking a 0.40 percent increase over the same period the previous year.

Longer term trends also confirm steady growth, with annual arrivals rising from 606,439 in 2023 to 734,490 in 2025, solidifying India's position as one of Indonesia's most important inbound tourism markets.