The World Indonesia Tourism Fair (WITF) 2025 officially opened on Friday, 10 October, marking a second edition that was bigger in both numbers and impact.
The event was inaugurated by Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana and Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, kicking off three days of exhibitions, business meetings, and forums that ran until Sunday, 12 October.
First launched a year ago by the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI), WITF has already established itself as a premier B2B tourism tradeshow in Indonesia. The 2025 edition recorded more than 3,200 pre-scheduled appointments, along with significant growth in both buyers and exhibitors.
“This year’s edition gathers over 200 international buyers from 14 countries, more than 300 corporate buyers and trade visitors, and over 300 exhibitors from across Indonesia’s tourism spectrum – including hotels, DMCs, airlines, attractions, travel agencies, tourism villages, and communities,” said Hariyadi Sukamdani, chairman of GIPI.
New venue milestone
WITF 2025 also marked another first – becoming the inaugural event to be held at the brand-new Nusantara International Convention Exhibition (NICE) at PIK 2. “We are proud to be the first to use this venue,” Hariyadi said during the Southeast Asia Business Events Forum (SEABEF), which was held alongside WITF.
In her opening remarks, Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana underscored WITF’s growing importance. “These two events mark an important milestone in accelerating the growth of Indonesia’s tourism sector,” she said. “WITF is a strategic platform to showcase Indonesia’s destinations to both domestic and international markets.”
Over 70% of Indonesia’s provinces are represented at WITF 2025 to showcase the country’s tourism richness. Photo Credit: Rin Hindryati
At the opening ceremony, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening tourism infrastructure and sustainability.
“We’ve opened 36 international airports and are developing the Indonesia Quality Tourism Fund to ensure financial support for sustainable tourism,” he said. “We are also offering several incentives — from VAT reductions on airline tickets to support for tourism workers and businesses.”
Expanding global buyer base
Panorama Group CEO Budi Tirtawisata, who also serves as chairperson of the WITF 2025 Steering Committee, shared that this year saw a notable rise in international buyers, reflecting the show’s growing regional influence.
“We now have buyers from 40 countries, all carefully curated,” said Budi. “We even capped participation from each market to ensure balance – no more than five to ten per country.”
While Asia remains the core source market, Europe and the Middle East are well represented, with participants from Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as the United States, Germany, and Poland.
Budi added that fewer participants are now fully hosted compared to last year, signaling WITF’s rising market credibility. “As awareness grows, the market starts to feel ownership – and the need for fully hosted programmes decreases,” he said. “WITF has become attractive enough on its own.”
WITF 2025 welcomed a notable rise in international buyers, reflecting the show’s growing regional influence Photo Credit: Rin Hindryati
Indonesia’s diversity on display
A key highlight of WITF 2025 is its strong provincial representation, with over 70% of Indonesia’s provinces participating. Exhibitors hail from across the archipelago – from Manado, Batam, Bintan, and Lombok to Java, Kalimantan, and Papua – showcasing the country’s immense tourism diversity.
“We’ve had visitors from Japan, South Korea, India, and Pakistan asking about facilities and future event opportunities,” shared Dian Situmorang, cluster senior sales manager at Batam Marriott Hotel Harbour Bay. “They’re genuinely excited about what Indonesia has to offer.”
Buyers are equally enthusiastic. “I’ve met many different vendors and discovered options beyond Bali,” said Jane Clamor, a buyer from the Philippines. “We’re definitely looking for more destinations to offer our clients.”