Domestic Air Travel Grows 1.9 Percent This Idul Fitri
Jakarta. The number of domestic air passengers in the week leading up to Idul Fitri celebrations grew by 1.9 percent on 2014, according to Transportation Ministry data, but the number of people traveling abroad from Indonesia declined.
More than 3.52 million people within Indonesia traveled by air between July 10 and July 18, the second day of Idul Fitri and the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.
The increase from last year’s figure of 3.46 million passengers came despite the closure of several airports in East Java due to volcanic ash from Mount Raung.
Indonesian Muslims, who make up 87 percent of the country’s 250 million population, traditionally travel to their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri with their families, triggering an annual exodus that is one of the largest in the world.
Still, the number of travelers going abroad declined 3.9 percent to 572,901 passengers from 550,773 last year, said Transportation Ministry spokesman J.A. Barata.
The decrease may reflect Indonesia’s weakening domestic purchasing power as economic growth slowed due to contracting commodity exports and sluggish public investment.
Investor Daily
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