Government Policy to Lower Airline Ticket Prices Facilitates Mobilization for 2025 New Year Holidays
By: Safrudin Nur )*
The government announced a 10 percent reduction in airfare ahead of the 2025 New Year holiday. This policy is not only good news for people planning to travel, but also shows the government’s serious efforts to create better accessibility during important holiday moments. Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), Erick Thohir, stated that this step is a real manifestation of the government’s commitment to the people.
It should be noted that the reduction in airfare is the result of intensive cooperation between the Ministry of SOEs, the Ministry of Transportation, and the full support of President Prabowo Subianto. This reduction aims to provide ease of mobilization for the community during the Christmas and New Year holidays. The Minister of SOEs also appreciated the role of various parties, including Pertamina and airport managers, who helped realize this policy. This effort is one of the steps to provide the best service to the community while reducing travel costs that often soar during the holidays.
The decision to reduce airfare prices has received a positive response from various parties. One of them is Member of Commission VI of the House of Representatives, Firnando Hadityo Ganinduto, who assessed that this policy not only provides direct benefits to the community, but also contributes to other sectors such as tourism and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). With more affordable ticket prices, it is hoped that there will be an increase in domestic tourist visits to various leading destinations in Indonesia. In addition, the MSME sector around tourist destinations is predicted to feel a significant economic impact from the surge in tourism activity.
In line with Firnando, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, stated that this policy is part of the government’s strategic steps to restore the tourism sector post-pandemic. The 10 percent reduction in domestic ticket prices is expected to encourage domestic and international tourists to choose Indonesia as their main destination again. Airlangga explained that the tourism sector has great potential as a source of foreign exchange for the country, and policies like this are part of a strategy to catch up with neighboring countries such as Thailand.
Before the pandemic, Indonesia’s tourism sector was able to attract up to 17 million foreign tourists annually. However, this number is still behind Thailand, which has managed to attract almost 30 million tourists per year. To that end, the government has designed various initiatives to increase the competitiveness of Indonesian tourist destinations, including the development of direct regional flights to leading tourist locations such as Belitung, Labuan Bajo, and Mandalika. These direct flights are expected to facilitate tourist access without having to go through troublesome transit.
These strategic steps by the government are not only focused on the short term, but also include the next five-year plan. Therefore, it is important to find a long-term solution to the transportation problem in Indonesia, especially in facing the surge in demand at certain moments such as the Christmas and New Year holidays and Eid. With a sustainable approach, the government wants to ensure that the public can enjoy comfortable and affordable transportation services in the future.
From the business side, this policy also provides a positive signal. The reduction in airfare prices is seen as an effort to support the tourism ecosystem as a whole. With the increasing number of tourists traveling during the holidays, various business sectors, from accommodation to culinary, are expected to gain significant economic benefits. In addition, this policy also encourages airlines to continue to improve operational efficiency in order to provide more competitive services.
The government is optimistic that this step will be a major driver for the tourism sector to revive. Infrastructure development and increasing accessibility to tourist destinations are the main keys to restoring the glory of Indonesian tourism. With the right strategy, Indonesia is expected to become an attractive tourist destination again, both for domestic and foreign tourists.
This policy of reducing airline ticket prices also reflects good synergy between the central government and industry players. This is real evidence that collaboration can produce policies that are beneficial to all parties. With the support of the community, this policy is expected to have a positive long-term impact, not only on the tourism sector, but also on the national economy as a whole.
In the long term, the government is committed to continuously monitoring the development of airfares to ensure that the public continues to have access to affordable transportation. With this policy, the public is expected to be able to enjoy the Nataru holiday more comfortably and easily. This step is also part of the government’s efforts to improve people’s welfare through policies that support the interests of the wider community.
The policy of reducing airline ticket prices ahead of the 2025 New Year holiday is a progressive step that deserves appreciation. This policy not only provides direct benefits to the community, but also creates a positive impact that extends to various sectors. With full support from various parties, this step is one of the real proofs that the government is committed to continuing to improve public services and welfare.
)* Observer of Transportation Problems from the Pancasila Madani Institute
