Declining Aidil Fitri travel and spending in Indonesia and discrimination in India dampen holiday spirit

Muslims performing Aidil Fitri prayers marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan on a street in Jakarta on March 31, 2025. - AP

JAKARTA: The usual festive mood of Aidil Fitri 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 (March 30) in Indonesia, has declined compared to the previous year, with a predicted slowdown in cash circulation due to fewer travellers.