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The West Bandung Regency Government organised a business matching event and familiarisation trip for a delegation of travel agents, executives and investors from Dubai that ran from Sept. 20 to 25. Regent Jeje Ritchie Ismail described the visit as an opportunity to showcase the area’s natural and cultural assets to potential partners from the Middle East while seeking to attract both tourists and investment. According to BPS-Statistics Indonesia, arrivals from the Middle East reached 260,098 in 2025, an increase of 15.89 percent from the previous year that formed part of the country’s total 15.38 million international visitors. Jeje Ritchie Ismail added that the delegation would experience destinations such as Dusun Bambu in Cisarua and sites around Lembang known for their cool climate.
Jeje Ritchie Ismail told reporters that West Bandung possesses diverse potential including mountains, tea plantations, waterfalls, lakes and village tourism that could appeal to high-value Gulf visitors. The regent stated that the initiative aims to expand international arrivals beyond concentrations in places such as Bali and to develop options across both northern and southern parts of the regency. Local tourism officials reported that the sector’s contribution to regional own-source revenue rose to 22 percent in 2025 from 19 percent in 2023, reflecting sustained post-pandemic growth. Infrastructure work has supported the effort, with completed repairs on 1.8 kilometres of the Ciririp-Bangsaya Road in Cililin District and 1.3 kilometres of the Cilumber-Cikole Road in Lembang.
The West Bandung branch of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association participated in the promotion, according to its chairman Eko Suprianto who noted that the cool climate in Lembang matches preferences of many Middle East tourists. Suprianto said the natural characteristics provide a foundation for broader international marketing of the regency’s destinations. The association has worked to introduce local operators to the visiting Dubai travel agents in hopes of generating repeat business and new packages. Jeje Ritchie Ismail expressed confidence that participants would return with clients after directly viewing the attractions during the five-day programme.
A Hilton-branded hotel with 218 rooms and more than 850 square metres of meeting space opened in Kota Baru Parahyangan in August 2026, signalling rising investment interest in the area’s hospitality sector. Executive Director of PT Layana Buana Hotelindo E. Aditya Suriadi said the property targets both leisure and business travellers while strengthening Greater Bandung’s position as a tourism and commercial hub. The development coincides with enhanced connectivity to Jakarta that includes high-speed rail services, improving access for international visitors. Jeje Ritchie Ismail indicated that such projects complement the regency’s push to balance tourism growth across all districts.
Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics placed foreign tourist arrivals at 10.58 million for the first eight months of 2026, an increase of 5.38 percent from the same period a year earlier. The West Bandung Regency Government has prioritised road upgrades and facility improvements to accommodate anticipated demand from the Gulf market. Jeje Ritchie Ismail said the delegation’s presence represented an initial step toward long-term partnerships that could extend into creative economy, culinary and community-based enterprises. Officials have recorded steady annual increases in tourism revenue that contributed to the sector’s larger share of local budgets in recent years.
