Indonesia Targets Australian Tourists Through BBTF 2026, With Culinary Tourism As Its Flagship Leading Attraction.

Indonesia continues to strengthen its position as a world-class tourism destination. One of the latest strategic initiatives was executed through the BBTF 2026 Working Luncheon held in Sydney, Australia. This gathering served as a platform to bring together tourism industry stakeholders from both nations, while unlocking new collaboration pathways to attract higher volumes of international visitors.

Organised by the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) Sydney alongside the Indonesia Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) Sydney with support from Garuda Indonesia, the event connected travel agents, tour operators, and all key strategic partners within Australia's tourism ecosystem.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Australia also attended this milestone occasion, emphasising the expanding scope for bilateral tourism cooperation. Australia remains one of the most consistent high-value international source markets for visitor arrivals to Indonesia, most notably for Bali.

Unlike standard promotional campaigns that primarily highlight coastal scenery and well-known tourist hotspots, this latest drive introduces a fresh approach under the theme "Redefining Indonesia's Gastronomy Journey", which invites travellers to experience the archipelago through its diverse culinary heritage.

This framework positions food as the entry point to understand local culture, traditions, and community life. The combination of tasting regional specialities, on-location exploration, immersive cultural activities, and renowned local hospitality has emerged as a high-demand value proposition for modern global travellers.

Gastronomy tourism has demonstrated consistent year-on-year growth over recent years. An increasing number of travellers now select destinations specifically for unique, authentic culinary experiences that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Indonesia holds exceptional inherent advantage here, with thousands of traditional dishes, native spice varieties, and living cultural traditions spanning the entire archipelago from Sabang to Merauke.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney formally conveyed appreciation to all participating industry partners, acknowledging the exceptionally strong enthusiasm demonstrated for supporting Indonesia's tourism outreach in the Australian market.

Through aligned collaboration between government authorities, air carriers, and travel industry operators, Indonesia aims to convert this momentum into increased Australian visitor numbers choosing the archipelago for their next holiday.

This full series of promotional activities forms part of official lead-up preparations for the Bali & Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) 2026, which will take place in Nusa Dua, Bali on 28–30 May 2026.

BBTF stands as one of the largest business-to-business (B2B) events for Indonesia's tourism sector. The exhibition facilitates meetings between international procurement buyers and tourism suppliers from all regions of Indonesia, to expand commercial partnerships, launch emerging destinations, and advance sustainable growth across the national tourism industry.

By centring gastronomy as the core unique selling point, BBTF 2026 is intended not only to lift international arrival volumes, but also to embed Indonesia's global reputation as a destination that delivers travel experiences rich with culture, flavour, and authentic human stories.