The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) noted that the number of foreign tourists visiting the main entrance in March 2022 increased by more than 200 percent year-on-year (yoy) compared to March 2021. Head of BPS Margo Yuwono reported that when compared on a month-to-month (mtm) basis, namely February 2022, there was an increase of up to 121.02 percent. "Compared to March 2021 or yoy, the increase is very impressive, up 206.25 percent," said Margo in a BPS release, Monday (9/5/2022). Meanwhile, in the period from January to March 2022, the number of foreign tourists visiting was recorded at 74,383 thousand people, an increase of 228.24 percent yoy. In the same period in 2021, only 22,661 foreign tourists visited Indonesia through the main gate. Although this period experienced an increase, Margo said that what was achieved now is still much lower than the number of visits in 2020, which was 2,119,105 people. Meanwhile, in 2018 and 2019 the number of visits in the same period almost touched 3 million visits.
This increase is a signal of recovery in the tourism sector and helps in economic growth. Keep in mind, that tourism that recovers will have an effect on various economic improvements. “Tourist visits provide a multiplier effect on the economy. If tourism recovers, it will accelerate economic recovery in Indonesia," said Margo. Meanwhile, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Parekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said that with the recovery of tourism, it would have an impact on opening up job opportunities. In addition to the economic revival, with unemployment reduced by 350,000 people, Sandiaga and his party will secure the creation of 400,000 jobs in the tourism sector. While in the creative economy sector, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy targets 700,000 new and quality jobs. "Overall, Parekraf will create 1.1 million new and quality jobs for 2022," said Sandiaga in the Weekly Press Briefing, Monday (9/5/2022).
