Ministry Of Tourism And Creative Economy Asks People To Do Domestic Travel Amid Weakening Of Rupiah

Adyatama Kepariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif Ahli Utama Kemenparekraf Nia Niscaya. (Photo: Capture Screen/Theresia Agatha)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf) has responded to the rupiah problem which has continued to weaken in recent days.

Based on Jisdor Bank Indonesia (BI), Monday, June 24, the rupiah closed at IDR 16,431 per US dollar.

Adyatama Kepariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif Ahli Utama Kemenparekraf Nia Niscaya meminta agar masyarakat tetap melakukan perjalanan di dalam negeri saja.

Thus, Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves can increase.

"For foreign tourists (nusantara tourists) do not become Indonesian tourists (Indonesian tourists who visit abroad). So, the foreign tourists used to be like that, hold (traveling abroad)," Nia said at The Weekly Brief with Sandi Uno in Jakarta, Monday, June 24.

Nia also displayed exposure data regarding the rupiah exchange rate for the last two months in five countries which are the main mainstays of foreign tourism (tourists) for Indonesia.

First, the rupiah exchange rate against Ringgit Malaysia (MYR) which reached IDR 3,486 per MYR.

Then, the rupiah exchange rate against the Australian dollar (AUD) which broke through Rp10,952 per AUD and the rupiah exchange rate against the Singapore dollar (SGD) which reached Rp12,145 per SGD.

Then, the rupiah exchange rate against the Chinese Yuan (CNY) reached Rp2,262 per CNY and the rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar (USD) which exceeded Rp. 16,420 per USD.

"If we go abroad, the difference is that the exchange rate is like this. This is a moment when the rupiah weakens, take its foreign tourists, increase domestic travel," said Nia.

According to Nia, momentum like this could be an opportunity to attract many foreign tourists to come to Indonesia.

"Then for foreign tourists, they can become pockets that happen to be the focus of our market. With an exchange rate like this, we can get affordable luxury and hopefully we can get more foreign tourists at this time," he said.

Thus, Nia hopes that in the future the rupiah position can return to a more stable condition.

"God willing, the rupiah will return to a stable position in the exchange rate," he added.