Indonesia

Indonesia is confident it can ride out any waves whipped up by the storm affecting much of the global economy, thanks in part to its low dependence on exports and booming domestic demand. There are some concerns, however, that reduced interest rates and high consumer spending could reignite inflation.

Despite an uncertain economic climate, the number of foreign visitors to Indonesia continues to rise and the country is looking to build on its recent success and diversify the tourism sector.

Faced with an increasingly saturated market and crowded playing field, Indonesia’s telecoms operators are investing in data-based services such as 3G and smartphone apps to gain the competitive edge. However, delays to a fibre-optic project that aims to spread faster internet access throughout eastern Indonesia could impact on those plans.

Indonesia is stepping up efforts to become self sufficient in rice production while also building a safety net with imported stockpiles, though a decision by Thailand to scrap a key sales agreement briefly tore a hole in the net that Jakarta officials were left scrambling to repair.

Indonesia’s palm oil sector is looking to adopt more sustainable practices in a bid to alleviate growing environmental concerns while meeting rising global demand.

Indonesia’s construction sector is in the midst of a sustained boom, with both private and public spending on the rise, but there are concerns in the industry that the slow pace of launching new projects could hinder this growth.