Indonesia, Sept. 19 -- Indonesia's tourism sector generated US$8.43 billion in foreign-exchange revenue in the first half of 2026, Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Luh Puspa said on Saturday.

Puspa said the figure underscored tourism's role as a driver of economic growth and a key source of foreign exchange for Indonesia.

The performance builds on 2025, when Indonesia recorded 15.39 million foreign tourist arrivals, about 1.2 billion domestic tourist trips and US$18.27 billion in tourism foreign-exchange revenue.

Puspa said sustained growth creates an opportunity and responsibility for tourism stakeholders to shift beyond visitor numbers toward higher-quality and environmentally sustainable tourism.

Speaking to graduates of Makassar Tourism...