Asita Bali Targets Kazakhstan Tourist Potential Amid Middle East Conflict

Badung (ANTARA) - The Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (Asita) Bali is targeting the potential influx of foreign tourists from Central Asia, such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, amid the dynamics of the Middle East conflict.

“Several countries in Asia actually still have much untapped potential to visit Bali. Central Asia, like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, has enormous potential. Coincidentally, I am the Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan; the potential is extraordinary,” said Asita Bali Chairman I Putu Winastra.

Winastra, in Badung Regency on Tuesday, mentioned that in a year, around 300,000 Kazakh foreign tourists choose to holiday in Thailand and Vietnam, while to Indonesia, particularly Bali, there are only about 20,000 visits.

Amid the Middle East conflict, countries in Central Asia are considered safe, with Kazakhstan’s route from Astana city via Kuala Lumpur or China to reach Thailand without passing through Middle Eastern airspace.

Moreover, the Indonesian government is currently adopting a short-term strategy to attract the nearest foreign tourists, namely from the Asia-Pacific, so Asita Bali assesses that there is potential that can be pursued.

This travel agency association sees the only challenge in tapping this tourist potential as connectivity, since there are currently no direct flights from Central Asia to Bali.

“This is our hope, so we always coordinate with the ministries so that this potential market niche can truly be explored and there are direct flights or at least commercial flights there,” said Winastra.

“This is being explored together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism to make this happen,” he added.

In addition to viewing Thailand’s success in receiving up to 300,000 Kazakh foreign tourists a year, Winastra received information that 10 percent of the 17 million citizens of that country regularly travel or go on holidays.

On a single trip, they spend 10-14 days with substantial expenditure because they like staying in four-star hotels.

As a country with many mountains, Kazakh tourists are known for their fondness for sea tourism, which further emphasises that Indonesia, especially Bali, will be liked.

At this initial stage, Asita Bali through its representative in the central committee has proposed to the central government to start charter flights.

“So charter flights first, if this is good, then later continue; airlines are businesses, they don’t want to lose, if the turnover isn’t good, they won’t do it; this is the airline from Kazakhstan,” said Winastra.