Australia vs. Southeast Asia: Which is More Appealing to Indonesian Tourists?

The United States and Australia hold a certain appeal for tourists, including Indonesian travelers. This can be seen in the differing numbers of trips to these two developed countries, as compiled by Indonesia's Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS).

Travel to both countries fluctuated from 2020 to 2024. In 2020, trips to the United States (US) accounted for 0.83% of total Indonesian tourist trips worldwide. Australia's figure was higher, at 1.33%.

However, travel to both countries dropped in 2021, likely due to activity restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Afterwards, travel increased. The proportion of trips to the US briefly surpassed Australia's after its resilience from the pandemic in 2021.

However, in the latest 2024 data, travel to Australia again outperformed the US, at 2.04% and 1.02%, respectively.

Although the United States and Australia are popular tourist destinations worldwide, the BPS notes that the percentage of Indonesian tourist trips to these two countries remains very low compared to other destinations.

"The main factors influencing this are likely the high cost of travel and visa requirements, which pose obstacles for Indonesian tourists visiting the United States and Australia," wrote the BPS in a report published today, Monday (March 17, 2025).

The BPS explains that Indonesian tourists traveling to the United States for leisure accounted for 35.58%, followed by business trips at 33%. Meanwhile, trips for education, training, or courses comprised 14.47%, indicating Indonesian interest in American academic and professional training institutions.

The situation is different in Australia, where the proportion of leisure trips is higher than in the United States, reaching 45.9%. Business trips reached 23.04%, lower than in the US.

However, as in the United States, trips for education, training, or courses are also significant in Australia, at 14.21%. "Considering the many prestigious universities that attract Indonesian students," wrote the BPS.