From 24-26 May 2025, during Chinese Premier Li Qiang's working visit to Indonesia, the governments of Indonesia and China officially signed a tourism memorandum of understanding (MoU). This visit is intended to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries, including cooperation in the fields of economy, health, and tourism. The tourism memorandum of understanding encompasses seven collaborative initiatives, including the exchange of business contacts and tourism sector cooperation; the promotion of tourist visits; collaboration to attract tourists and establish additional international tourism promotion channels; the establishment of a second official travel office; the facilitation of tourism promotion activities; the exchange of tourism information and statistics; and other forms of cooperation. Further cooperation can be established through a written agreement between the two parties to ensure optimal results for the tourism industry in Indonesia and China.
Within the tourism sector, China is one of the strategic partners for the development of human resources. This strategic partnership includes a programme of Mandarin language training, provided by the Chinese Government, to students at several Tourism Polytechnics under the Ministry of Tourism. In 2024, tourists from China were also significant contributors to the number of foreign tourist visits to Indonesia, with 1.19 million visits recorded, marking an increase of 52% compared to 2023 figures. Out of a total of 13.9 million foreign tourist visits, these figures are notable. Furthermore, in the first quarter of 2025, there was a notable increase in the number of tourists from China visiting Indonesia, with the number of tourist visits reaching as high as 279,040. There was a growth of 1.15% from the same period the previous year, which was 275,863 visits.
