Jakarta (ANTARA) – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the government is focusing on boosting investment and tourism industry performance in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026.He described the move as a strategic effort to strengthen national economic growth toward the end of the year.”We will continue to push investment in the coming quarter. At the same time, we are intensifying efforts to strengthen tourism-related industries,” Hartarto said during a press statement on Thursday.The minister highlighted Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara as key drivers of both domestic and international tourism.Overall, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) reported that domestic tourist trips from January to June 2026 reached 630.41 million, marking the highest level for the period since before the COVID-19 pandemic.BPS data also showed that foreign tourist arrivals in Bali reached 605,013 in June 2026, up 4.63 percent from May.Meanwhile, foreign tourist arrivals in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) reached 1,368,707 in June, an increase of 2.73 percent from the previous month.In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), foreign tourist arrivals totaled 29,152 in June, surging 40.73 percent year-on-year (yoy) and rising 19.85 percent month-on-month.”It is encouraging to see that Bali and the Nusa Tenggara region are growing faster than the national average. This demonstrates that tourism-related sectors are gaining momentum, and we can capitalize on this as a low-hanging-fruit opportunity,” Hartarto said.He also highlighted the potential to attract more international visitors, particularly from Southeast Asian (ASEAN) countries, as regional air connectivity continues to improve.One example is the newly launched direct international flight between Bali and Phuket, Thailand, operated by TransNusa.According to Hartarto, the Bali–Phuket route is expected to attract tourists, families, digital nomads, and adventure travelers seeking to experience the culture, cuisine, and unique attractions of both destinations.