Declining Eid travel and spending in Indonesia and discrimination in
India dampen holiday spirit
[March 31, 2025] By
NINIEK KARMINI
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The usual festive mood of Eid al-Fitr holiday
to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan has been subdued in
Indonesia this year as people grapple with soaring prices for food,
clothing and essential goods.
Consumer spending ahead of the biggest religious holiday for Muslims,
which was celebrated on Sunday in Indonesia, has declined compared to
the previous year, with a predicted slowdown in cash circulation due to
fewer travelers.
Each year in Indonesia, nearly three-quarters of the population of the
world’s most populous Muslim-majority country travel for the annual
homecoming known locally as “mudik” that is always welcomed with
excitement.
People pour out of major cities to return to villages to celebrate the
holiday with prayers, feasts and family gatherings. Flights are
overbooked and anxious relatives weighed down with boxes of gifts form
long lines at bus and train stations for the journey
But this year the Transportation Ministry said Eid travelers reached 146
million people, a 24% drop from last year’s 194 million travelers.
The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry projects that money
circulation during Eid will reach 137.97 trillion rupiah ($8.33
billion), down from 157.3 trillion last year. The weakening purchasing
power is also reflected in Bank Indonesia’s Consumer Confidence Index
which dipped to 126.4 in February from 127.2 in January.
Bhima Yudistira, executive director of the Center for Economic and Law
Studies, or Celios, said those trends indicate the economy is under
strain, driven by economic hardship, coupled with currency depreciation
and mass layoffs in manufacturing.
“These have weakened both corporate earnings and workers’ incomes that
suppress consumer spending,” Yudistira said, adding he “expects a less
vibrant festive season.”
He said the festive spirit has been stifled by harsh economic realities,
as soaring prices and dwindling incomes force residents to prioritize
survival over celebration.
Traditionally household consumption is a key driver of Indonesia’s GDP.
It contributed over 50% to the economy last year, helping push annual
growth to 5.11%. However, consumer spending in 2025 is expected to be
more subdued, Yudistira said.
Despite the downturn, the government remains optimistic that the Ramadan
and Eid momentum will support economic growth in the first quarter of
2025.
“Eid usually boosts the economy through increased spending,” Chief
Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said ahead of the Islamic
holiday.
The government recently introduced incentives to stimulate economic
activity, including airfare and toll road fee discounts, nationwide
online shopping events, direct cash assistance for 16 million
households, electricity bill reductions for low-consumption customers,
and tax exemptions for labor-intensive sectors.
[to top of second column] |
Muslims gather for Eid al-Fitr prayer marking the end of the holy
fasting month of Ramadan on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday,
March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
 “With these programs in place, the
government hopes to sustain consumer spending and support economic
stability,” Hartarto said.
The situation has also affected Endang Trisilowati, a mother of
four, who said her family had to scale down their festivities
budget.
“Honestly, the economic hardship is affecting us,” Trisilowati said.
She described how she used to cook different dishes every Eid and
invite neighbors, but now she can only afford a simple meal for her
family.
“Many have resorted to just finding a way to eat on that festivity,
but the spirit is low,” she said.
Muslims in India grapple with discrimination
In India, Muslims are marking the celebration of Eid with special
prayers, family gatherings and festive meals.
The holiday comes as the minority community faces vilification by
hardline Hindu nationalists. Muslim groups are also protesting
against a proposal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to
change laws governing Muslim land endowments.
The government says it wants to weed out corruption and
mismanagement in hundreds of thousands of Muslim land endowments.
But Muslim groups say the proposal pending approval in India’s
parliament is discriminatory.
Muslims, who comprise 14% of India’s 1.4 billion population, are the
largest minority group in the Hindu-majority nation.
Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party launched a
nationwide initiative called “Saugat-e-Modi,” or “Modi’s gift,”
during Ramadan that is expected to provide food and clothes to over
3 million underprivileged Muslims to celebrate Eid.
In New Delhi, thousands assembled in the Jama Masjid, one of the
country’s largest mosques, to offer Eid prayers. Families came
together early Monday morning and many people shared hugs and
wishes.
“This is a day of giving and receiving love. Even if you meet an
enemy, meet them with love today,” said 18-year-old student Mohammed
Nooruddin.
___
Associated Press writers Aijaz Hussain in Srinagar and Rishi Lekhi
in New Delhi, India, contributed to this report.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
