DENPASAR, BALINEWS — The Indonesian rupiah weakened to Rp18,087.99 per US dollar in trading on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, amid rising global oil prices, higher US Treasury yields, concerns over global inflation, and increased foreign exchange demand from importers ahead of the end of the third quarter.
The exchange-rate movement is drawing attention from Bali’s tourism industry, which has significant economic activity involving international tourists and foreign-currency transactions.
For foreign tourists carrying or using US dollars, a weaker rupiah means their dollars can be exchanged for more Indonesian rupiah. The situation also affects tourism businesses that sell travel packages and other tourism products in foreign currencies.
Chairman of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Association of Travel Agents (ASITA), I Putu Winastra, S.AB., M.A.P., said the stronger US dollar should be viewed from both positive and negative perspectives for the tourism industry.
“On the positive side, with the US dollar reaching around Rp18,100 per US dollar as of September 30, 2026, and the selling rate reaching Rp17,908.01 based on Bank Indonesia’s Transaction Rate, tourism products sold overseas in US dollars can generate higher rupiah revenues because of the exchange rate,” Winastra said.
He added that when Indonesian tourism products are priced in rupiah, the depreciation of the domestic currency can make those products appear cheaper to foreign customers when converted into US dollars.
“However, this does not mean that our products are cheap or of low quality,” he said.
Despite the potential benefits, Winastra emphasized that a stronger US dollar does not necessarily translate into higher profits for tourism businesses. The weakening rupiah can also push up operational expenses and the cost of raw materials and other inputs used by tourism businesses.
“The increase in the US dollar does not necessarily translate directly into higher profits. A stronger dollar can also increase operational costs and the cost of materials used in tourism products,” he explained.
As a result, any additional revenue generated from the exchange-rate movement could potentially be offset by higher production and operating costs.
“When calculated, the impact could end up being more or less balanced because production costs and operational expenses also increase,” Winastra said.
For this reason, ASITA Bali is calling for greater exchange-rate stability, arguing that a more stable currency environment would provide tourism businesses with greater certainty when planning prices, investments and operating costs.
“What we hope for is currency stability so that tourism businesses can operate with greater confidence and certainty,” Winastra said.
ASITA Bali also hopes for policies that would provide greater flexibility for Indonesian tourism businesses to promote their products in international markets using foreign currencies such as the US dollar and euro, while allowing the actual transactions to be settled in rupiah.
“We hope there will be a policy that allows tourism businesses to promote our products overseas using other currencies, such as the US dollar and euro, while the transactions can ultimately be settled in rupiah,” Winastra said.
According to Winastra, such a mechanism could provide greater certainty for tourism businesses and reduce concerns over foreign-exchange fluctuations when promoting Bali’s tourism products in international markets.
