Borobudur Vesak: Economic Impact on Residents in the Borobudur Area
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The Vesak celebration of 2569 BE/2025 at Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, not only strengthened Borobudur Temple's position as a spiritual destination but also boosted the local economy. By empowering MSMEs and local workers, PT Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia (Persero), or InJourney, through its subsidiary, InJourney Destination Management (IDM) , as the manager of Borobudur Temple, was able to boost the local economy.
The economic impact of Vesak 2025 was partly due to high occupancy rates in the area around Borobudur. This impact ranged from modest homestays owned by residents in Ngaran II Village to five-star hotels like Le Temple, which recorded full occupancy during the Vesak 2025 period.
Muslih, head of the Borobudur Homestay Village Association, stated that the 152 homestay rooms in his village were fully booked a month before Vesak. Room reservations began in February and peaked in April. Around 200 prospective guests were unable to secure a room and were then directed to other homestays in the Borobudur District, which have around 400 units and 800–1000 rooms. Meanwhile, homestay prices during Vesak remain unchanged at 350 rupiah for air-conditioned rooms and 250 rupiah for non-air-conditioned rooms.
"We Javanese people use our feelings, but if Waisak could be held once a month, the people of Borobudur would be prosperous," explained Muslih, on Sunday (11/5).
IDM also involves MSMEs to make Waisak a success so that the economic impact on the local economy is very much felt, starting from culinary MSMEs, crafts, to tourism service providers getting blessings from the 2025 Waisak celebration at Borobudur Temple. It is recorded that more than 2.000 MSMEs are involved in making Waisak 2025 a success.
In addition, tourism service providers also received blessings during the implementation of Waisak. As many as 600 VW Safari units actively served tourists traveling around the Borobudur area. This number has increased drastically compared to normal days.
"On normal days, maybe it's only active for three days a week, but during Waisak it can be up to two weeks and there's definitely someone going every day," said VW Safari Fantasy Borobudur Community Coordinator Heru Purwanto.
Also read: Vesak Momentum: The Economic Impact of Borobudur Vesak on Indonesian Tourism Destinations
Benefits for Local Communities
Local craftsmen also enjoy the blessings of the Waisak celebration. The increasing demand for upanat especially during Waisak has been able to boost the local economy.
Chairman of the Upanat Sandal Craftsmen Association, Muh Zamzani, said that the production of upanat has been able to boost the local economy. To empower the local community, in collaboration with the Borobudur Conservation Center, a training program for making upanat sandals was also held for a number of craftsmen.
To encourage the growth of MSMEs through collaboration with the central and regional governments, IDM is also revitalizing the Borobudur Art Village. Borobudur Art Village is a relocation place for traders and craftsmen.
Rani Nuraeni and Siti Amri, two fashion product sellers in Borobudur Art Village felt better sales after moving to Borobudur Art Village. Moreover, it is supported by more comfortable, neat, and organized facilities. Both of them hope that Borobudur will be visited by more people, so that Borobudur Art Village will be more crowded with visitors and have an impact on increasing sales turnover.
InJourney Destination Management Director Febrina Intan said that her party is focused on social and economic impacts. "We have to build a healthy and sustainable tourism ecosystem, not prioritize personal interests," she said.
IDM as the manager of Borobudur Temple also presents Pasar Medang which is an activity during the Waisak celebration. Pasar Medang presents culinary specialties that blend with local arts and culture. Visitors can taste various culinary delights with distinctive flavors made by local UMKM.
"Medang Market is here to bring visitors to enjoy local wisdom through various culinary, culture, and also local UMKM handicrafts. The presence of Medang Market is expected to be able to bring local arts and culture to the world, thus providing a positive economic impact in the future," said Febrina.
InJourney President Director Maya Watono added that by involving the local community, she hopes the presence of Borobudur Temple will have a significant positive impact on the regional economy. "This initiative is consistently emphasized: every tourism destination must be able to provide a multiplier effect on the surrounding economy," she concluded.
For information on the Borobudur Vesak series and visiting experience, the public can access the official 2026 Borobudur Vesak ticket page prepared by InJourney Destination.
