Indonesia’s Ministry of Transport, through the Transportation Policy Agency (BKT), released the findings of a recent study, which indicate a significant increase in traveling during the Christmas and New Year holidays (Nataru) 2023-2024. The research predicts that travel will involve 107.63 million people, accounting for 39.83% of the national population, a dramatic increase of 143.65% from last year’s 44.17 million.
Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi stated, as reported by Antara on Monday (20/11): “The significant increase in the number of trips this year is a testament to the growing mobility of our population.” The survey found that the top reasons for traveling during the holidays are visiting tourist locations (45.29%), homecoming trips (30.15%) and celebrating Christmas in one’s own city (18.98%).
Private vehicles, especially cars (35.57%) and motorcycles (17.92%), are the dominant modes of transportation, according to the survey results. Public transportation preferences include trains (13.16%), planes (11.91%), buses (10.94%), ferries (10.94%), and ships (3.44%).
Major transport hubs expected to experience heavy traffic include Senen, Gambir, Sidoarjo and Bandung stations, along with major airports and ferry ports. In light of these predictions, Minister Budi Karya emphasized the importance of preparing for increasing traffic at crucial points. “Intensive coordination with regional authorities, police, toll road operators, BMKG, the National SAR Agency and other stakeholders is crucial,” he said.
Robby Kurniawan, head of BKT, noted that while the survey provides insight into travel trends, it should not be seen as a replacement for actual situational data. “These findings are of great importance in shaping our operational plans for Nataru’s holiday transport arrangements,” he added.
The research also highlighted the top five regions in terms of travel origins and destinations. East Java leads with 16.30%, followed by Jabodetabek, Central Java, West Java and North Sumatra. The peak travel days are expected to be December 23 and 30, 2023 and January 2, 2024.
This increase in leisure travel, as predicted by the Ministry of Transport’s research, also has a significant impact on Bali, one of Indonesia’s top tourist destinations. With a significant portion of travelers expected to choose Bali as a holiday destination, the island is likely to experience an influx of visitors, especially given the popularity of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
This survey was conducted over one month, from October 26 to November 2, 2023, and used online questionnaires distributed via WhatsApp, Instagram and SMS Blast. It included collaboration with the media, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Kominfo, academics and practitioners from the transport sector.
