RI provides visa-free facility for E. European countries<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, aiming at attracting more tourist
\narrivals in the coming five years, is now providing visa-free
\nentrance facilities for visitors from four countries in eastern
\nEurope.<\/p>\n
Director General of Tourism Andi Mappi Sammeng announced here
\non Saturday that Indonesia has agreed with Hungary, Poland, the
\nCzech Republic and the Slovak Republic that visitors from those
\ncountries will be allowed to enter Indonesia without any visa and
\nvice versa.<\/p>\n
Indonesia currently offers visa-free facilities to visitors
\nfrom 52 countries, including 22 in Europe, seven in the Americas,
\n11 in the Asia-Pacific region and six in Africa and the Middle
\nEast.<\/p>\n
The visa-free facility allows visitors to obtain a visa upon
\narrival in Indonesia and to stay for 60 days.<\/p>\n
\"Such an arrangement will simplify bureaucratic procedures for
\nvisitors to enter Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The number of visitors from eastern European countries totaled
\nless than 200,000 last year.<\/p>\n
Andi also said that Indonesia is now considering easing
\nadministrative procedures for visitors from China.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and China normalized diplomatic ties in August 1990
\nafter a 23-year freeze. In August, the Indonesian government
\nlifted a ban on the use of Chinese characters in the country. The
\nChinese language may now be used in the tourist industry.<\/p>\n
Because hotels and travel bureaus are now allowed to publish
\nbrochures in Chinese, Indonesia is expected to bring in more
\ntourists from Chinese speaking countries in Asia.<\/p>\n
The southeastern and eastern Asian nations are the main
\ntourist market for Indonesia. They contribute more than 30
\npercent of all foreign visitors.<\/p>\n
Indonesia expects a steady increase in tourist arrivals from
\n3.4 million last year to 3.8 million this year. At the end of the
\ncurrent Sixth Five Year Development Plan (Repelita VI), the
\nnumber of tourist arrivals is projected to further increase to
\n6.5 million, with total spending of $8.9 billion.<\/p>\n
At Saturday's press conference, held for international
\njournalists covering Travel Indonesia Mart '94, Andi also said
\nthat Indonesia will be selective in opening new air flight routes
\nfor foreign air carriers.<\/p>\n
\"We should select those which will give benefits to us,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, which has 19 international airports, currently
\nallows 30 foreign airlines to serve the country. In comparison,
\nSingapore and Thailand, which have fewer international airports,
\nare served by more than 50 airlines each.(icn)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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