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THE CITY of Padang has become the fastest growing destination among international travelers visiting Indonesia, according to digital travel platform Agoda.
The travel platform’s New Horizons list also revealed that Banjarmasin is the most popular destination for domestic Indonesian travelers. Meanwhile, Beijing, China is the international destination with the biggest increase in popularity among Indonesian travelers.
Agoda’s New Horizons ranking, released annually, compares accommodation booking rankings from the previous two years to identify destinations with the highest growth in both domestic and international travel.
Padang, West Sumatra, was recognized as the top new destination among inbound travelers thanks to its rich culture, which is the setting for legendary stories such as Siti Nurbaya and Malin Kundang. Another attraction is its world famous cuisine such as Nasi Padang, Rendang and Sate Padang.
The city is also famous for its stunning beaches, including Carolina Beach, Air Manis Beach, Suwarnadwipa Beach, Taplau, Ketaping and Samudra Beach. With easy access via the Minangkabau International Airport, Padang offers convenient transportation as well as unforgettable cultural and natural experiences.
Meanwhile, Banjarmasin, the largest city in South Kalimantan, tops the list for domestic tourists as the perfect place to enjoy Kalimantan’s urban culture, both on land and in the water. Located on the delta of the confluence of the Barito and Martapura rivers, the city has a generally hot climate with occasional rain even during the dry season.
Banjarmasin’s growing popularity among domestic tourists is supported by the region’s efforts to promote local festivals, floating markets, culinary specialties and beautiful lake views.
For international tourist destinations, Beijing, China, has become the most popular destination among Indonesians (outbound), thanks to its historical architecture. Starting from the Mutianyu Great Wall, part of the famous Great Wall of China, Tian Tan or the Temple of Heaven, built during the Ming Dynasty, and the Palace Museum, formerly known as the Forbidden City. Beijing also offers a quality experience for tourists who are looking for a vacation as well as cultural exploration.
According to Gede Gunawan, Senior Country Director of Agoda in Indonesia, said, I am very pleased to see the growing popularity of Padang. This proves that the efforts of Agoda and many others in the Indonesian tourism industry to promote secondary destinations have paid off.
“At the same time, it is very interesting to see the growing interest of Indonesian travelers in Beijing. Wherever Indonesian travelers want to explore, Agoda is here to help with the best deals on accommodation, flights and activities,” he said.
For Asian travelers as a whole, Gede continued that Shanghai is the top new destination on the New Horizons list. The Chinese metropolis’ popularity is followed by Jeju (South Korea), Paris (France), Nha Trang (Vietnam) and Fukuoka (Japan).
“Travelers planning a trip in 2025 are advised to explore Agoda’s various attractive offers, which include more than 4.5 million vacation properties, more than 130,000 flight routes, and more than 300,000 activities and experiences available on the platform.,” he concluded. [traveltext.id]
