Slumping rupiah makes Indonesia irresistible for Malaysian tourists, shoppers

Indonesia has always been a favourite travel destination for Malaysians and visitor numbers are expected to increase with the neighbouring country’s currency hitting a record low.Melaka Tourism Association president Madelina Quah said the low Rupiah presents an advantage for Malaysians travelling and shopping in Indonesia.“This will translate to cheaper holidays, shopping for weddings and buying of raw materials for imports against exports’ competitiveness,” she said.“Younger Malaysians prefer destinations such as Lombok, Bali, Yogyakarta and Komodo Island. This is because they are more adventurous, preferring the outdoors while the older generations opt for Jakarta, Bandung, Baku, Surabaya and Yogyakarta for the shopping experience,” she said.On Friday, the Rupiah hit a record low at 18,050 against the US dollar.It crossed the key 18,000 level on Thursday, marking its 10th consecutive week of declines.So far this year, the Rupiah has lost more than 7 per cent of its value.Quah said it is certainly a pity to see the Rupiah in such a state but it does present the best time to buy things at extremely cheap prices, especially items that are not available here in Malaysia.In terms of inbound tourism, Quah said rich Indonesians will still travel, especially for medical tourism.