Jakarta is seeing millions of foreign tourists each year, but most of them don’t stay long. Despite the city’s lively attractions, the average visit remains surprisingly short.
Head of Jakarta’s Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Disparekraf), Andhika Permata, revealed the numbers. “In 2024, data from BPS showed that the average stay of international tourists was only two days, while domestic tourists stayed just 1.53 days,” he said, as quoted by Antara on Wednesday (Sept 24, 2025). He shared the data during the “JEF Dialogue: Unlocking Jakarta’s Potential Through Tourism and Creative Economy” event held on Tuesday (Sept 23, 2025).
Tourist movement tracked through Mobile Positioning Data (MPD) paints a clearer picture. South Jakarta recorded 25,136,516 trips lasting at least six hours. Central Jakarta followed with 17,573,137 trips, while East Jakarta logged 14,510,856. West Jakarta saw 13,045,578, North Jakarta had 13,211,253, and the Thousand Islands accounted for 182,305 trips.
Andhika stressed that these figures show a gap. “These figures on tourist movement do not align positively with their length of stay in Jakarta, which is still relatively low,” he explained.
To address this, the Jakarta Provincial Government has taken several steps. Promotion efforts have been carried out both domestically and abroad, supported by campaigns on social media. Yet, Andhika admitted those moves alone are not enough. Broader collaboration and ideas are needed to increase the time visitors spend in the capital.
Read also: Indonesia Has 30,000 Hotels but Only 14 Certified by GSTC
Policy measures have also been introduced. In 2022, the government issued a Governor’s Decree that set guidelines for urban tourism development. The plan focuses on maximizing Jakarta’s tourism potential by developing integrated areas such as Kota Tua, Glodok, Merdeka Square, Cikini to Raden Saleh, Pasar Baru, and Blok M–Senopati–Kebayoran Baru.
Revitalization is another key effort. Spaces like M-Bloc, Pos-Bloc, and Jakarta Creative Hub have been developed as creative hubs. Public parks are also being improved, including Lapangan Banteng, Taman Literasi Martatia Hahu, and Tebet Eco Park. A new site, Taman Bendera Pusaka, is currently under construction to strengthen Jakarta’s image as an urban tourism destination.
“We continue striving to create quality spaces that encourage tourists to stay longer,” Andhika concluded.
This challenge reveals a gap between the sheer number of foreign tourists trip and the deeper engagement Jakarta hopes to achieve. The city’s next steps will determine whether it can transform fleeting visits into longer stays that fuel both its tourism and creative economy.
