REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The head of Indonesia's Central Bureau of Statistics, Suhariyanto, stated that public consumption behavior has changed from common commodities to those connected with leisure activities.

"Consumption for leisure activities has risen, showing that the public has started thinking about lifestyle," he said at a discussion at the ministry of communication and informatics here on Saturday.

He explained that commodities included in the leisure activities include hotels, restaurants, places of recreation, and cultural activities.

"Therefore, it has shifted from non-leisure to leisure consumption," he noted.

People with fixed income tend to go for vacation and recreation, as shown by a lot of destinations offering cheap leisure commodities.

"Indeed, there has been a shift there. It is not clear if it is part of lifestyle or because they are bored and want to take a break," Suharyanto remarked.

Economic observer Faisal Basri stated on the occasion that there has indeed been a shift in consumption pattern due to the change in the lifestyle of the upper-middle class of the society that covers 60 percent of the community.

The upper-middle class tends to develop fondness for tourism activities as seen from the added value of transportation sector, warehousing, and growth of hospitality.

"The number of domestic air passengers has grown by 10.22 percent (Jan to June 2017). That is also consumption. Railway passengers have also grown quite high at 8.53 percent (Jan to June 2017)," he revealed.

According to data, the number of foreign tourists to the country grew 22.42 percent in the first semester this year compared to the same period last year. 

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