Sports tourism and village-based initiatives drive Bintan’s strategy to reach 300,000 foreign visitors in 2026.
The Culture and Tourism Office (Dinas Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata or Disbudpar) of Bintan Regency, Riau Islands Province, is preparing to host several international tourism events to attract foreign visitors in 2026.
“This year, the target for foreign tourist arrivals to Bintan is 300,000, while last year’s actual figure reached 253,000,” Sattridha Novfykar, the Secretary of Bintan Regency’s Disbudpar, said on Monday, the 20th of April.
Several international events are scheduled for this year, including the OCBC Singapore Championship in June 2026, featuring cyclists from Singapore. The Tour de Bintan will return in August 2026, followed by the Bintan Marathon in November 2026.
Additional tourism events are also in the planning stages. Bintan Regency’s Disbudpar is optimistic about Bintan’s tourism prospects this year, noting an upward trend in visitor arrivals in early 2026, both domestic and international.
Previously, on Friday, the 17th of April, Bintan Regency’s Disbudpar had introduced a policy to empower local communities through a tourism village programme. Under the tourism village concept, the department prioritises the development of Tourism Awareness Groups, with the aim of supporting the economic wellbeing of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) within these communities.
Moreover, Bintan Regency’s Disbudpar will also provide training for tourism managers in Bintan’s tourism villages. One of the key initiatives is the “One Destination, One Product, and One Event” programme, under which each village is expected to develop a single tourist destination, a signature product, and an annual event—either sporting or cultural.
According to data from the Central Statistics Agency, foreign tourist arrivals between January and February 2026 increased by 60% compared to the same period in 2025, rising from 25,000 to 40,000. Domestic tourism also grew by 80%, from 103,000 to 183,000 visits.
Several ongoing challenges, however, are also taken into consideration, namely the absence of direct international flight routes to Bintan Island. Novfykar thus noted the need for additional ports with direct access to the island, as well as the waiving of Visa on Arrival (VoA) fees for travellers from certain countries, in order to further boost visitor numbers.
“We will continue to strengthen the tourism sector as a key source of Regional Original Income for Bintan Regency,” he added.