Indonesia Experiences Massive Travel Surge During Nataru Holiday

Transportation Sector Shows Significant Growth

The 2025/2026 Nataru holiday period (18-27 December 2025) witnessed an extraordinary surge in travel activities across Indonesia. The transportation sector saw remarkable numbers, with 2,033,534 vehicles recorded on four major toll roads managed by Jasa Marga's Regional Nusantara division ³

. This represented a 7.42% increase compared to normal periods ²

Source 2

https://industri.kontan.co.id/news/libur-nataru-20252026-lalu-lintas-empat-tol-regional-nusantara-naik-74

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Source 3

https://newssetup.kontan.co.id/news/nataru-20252026-arus-kendaraan-di-tol-nusantara-tembus-2-juta

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Rail Travel Records Highest Demand

Rail transportation saw unprecedented demand during this period. PT KAI reported that 3,387,330 tickets were sold between 18 December 2025 and 28 December 2025, exceeding capacity for long-distance trains by 102.8% ⁴

. The high demand led to the sale of additional tickets, demonstrating the strong travel momentum during the Nataru period.

Tourism Sector Shows Promising Recovery

The tourism sector also showed positive signs of recovery during the Nataru holiday. PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol (PJAA), operator of Ancol Beach City, is targeting between 750,000 and 800,000 visitors during the holiday period ¹

. This anticipated visitor number is expected to contribute around 10% to the company's total revenue, highlighting the importance of the Nataru period for tourism-related businesses.

New Capital City Attracts Visitors

The Nusantara Capital City (IKN) also attracted a significant number of visitors during the holiday period. On 25 December 2025 alone, approximately 37,000 people visited the KIPP (Kawasan Inti Pusat Pemerintahan) area ⁵

, with around 10,050 vehicles recorded entering the area. This demonstrates growing interest in the new capital city despite the holiday period challenges.

Economic Impact and Future Prospects

The surge in travel and tourism during the Nataru holiday period is expected to have a positive impact on various sectors of the economy, particularly transportation, hospitality, and tourism-related businesses. The increased mobility and travel activity suggest a recovering tourism sector, which is crucial for Indonesia's economic growth.