Borobudur Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java. It was built in the 8th century by the Syailendra Dynasty, which ruled Java until the 10th century.
In 1991, Borobudur Temple was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its rich historical, spiritual, and architectural value.
It is also one of the largest Buddhist religious monuments in the world, serving as an educational resource and a place of worship for its followers.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Borobudur Temple was a popular cultural tourism destination in Indonesia.
Statistics Indonesia recorded that during the 2016-2019 period, Borobudur Temple was visited by more than 3.6 million people annually. Averaged out, this equates to at least 9,800 visits per day.
Entrance ticket prices to Borobudur Temple, valid until June 6, 2022, were as follows:
Domestic Tourists:
* Ages 3-10 years: Rp25,000/person
* Ages >10 years: Rp50,000/person
* Students: Rp25,000/person (groups of 20 or more with a letter from their school/university)
Foreign Tourists:
* Ages 3-10 years: US$15 or approximately Rp216,000/person
* Ages >10 years: US$25 or approximately Rp360,000/person
* Students: US$15 or approximately Rp216,000/person (must show student ID)
However, the Indonesian government is planning to increase these ticket prices.
"We also agree and plan to limit the quota of tourists who want to ascend Borobudur Temple to 1,200 people per day, with a cost of 100 USD for foreign tourists and 750,000 rupiah for domestic tourists. For students, we will charge only 5,000 rupiah," wrote Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan on his official Instagram account on Saturday, June 4, 2022.
"This step is taken solely to preserve the sustainability of Indonesia's historical and cultural heritage. All tourists will also be required to use a tour guide from local residents around the Borobudur area. This is done to create new job opportunities and foster a sense of belonging to this area," Luhut continued.
According to Edy Setijono, the President Director of PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur Prambanan and Ratu Boko (Persero), the state-owned tourism company that manages the temple, the price increase will only apply to visitors who wish to ascend the temple. Entrance tickets to the temple complex will remain the same.
"The regular ticket price remains the same; Rp50,000 for domestic tourists and US$25 for foreign tourists. However, this ticket only allows access to the temple courtyard," said Edy, as reported by Detik.com on Sunday, June 5, 2022.