Govt clears way for tourists to drive cars here

NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Hoping to boost the arrival of visitors from neighboring countries, the government has issued a new ruling that allows foreign travelers to enter the country by private vehicle, an official has said.

The director general of tourism at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, I Gde Ardhika, said on Saturday the regulation was issued to boost the country's ailing tourist industry.

"As a way to extend the length of stay of visitors from our neighboring countries and to introduce more tourist destinations, they are allowed to drive their cars here," Ardhika announced while attending the 50th anniversary celebration of flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.

He said the new rule was aimed at encouraging tourists from the bordering countries of Malaysia, as well as from Singapore and Thailand, to drive their cars into Indonesia, instead of having to come by airplane or ship.

"Our transportation systems are alike, travelers will only need international driver's licenses, insurance and the required immigration paperwork," he said.

Currently, only 5 percent of the total visitors to Indonesia arrive through the Malaysia-Indonesia border in the western part of Borneo island, Ardhika said.

Some 70 percent of the remaining visitors come to the country by airplane, while 25 percent of them arrive by ship, boat or ferry through sea borders, he said.

Visitors from Thailand and Singapore could drive to Sumatra via the island of Batam by ferry.

In addition to this rule, the government will also allow foreign senior citizens looking for retirement sites to live in Indonesia for up to six years, Ardhika said.

They will be allowed to buy houses in the country and be entitled to use public facilities provided for local citizens.

"This new policy is meant to enhance tourism, we want tourism to be become a major foreign exchange earner and a labor- intensive sector," he said.

The new policy is awaiting a decree to be issued by the director general of immigration, he said.

Ardhika said about 6.6 million people worked in tourism in 1997, and the sector contributed 9.1 percent of Indonesia's Gross Domestic Product.

The severe economic crisis hitting the region and social unrest across the country has caused foreign tourist arrivals to fall 20 percent to about 3.8 million visitors last year from 5.04 million in 1997, well below the government's target of 4.8 million.

Foreign exchange receipts from the tourist industry in 1997 were US$6.62 billion, about $1 billion below the original target.

According to government data, foreign exchange earnings during the January to October period last year were only about $2.9 billion, a 19.5 percent drop from the same period last year.

This year the government expects tourist arrivals to reach between 3.8 million and four million, depending on the outcome of the country's turbulent political scene.

Many fear political tension in the run-up to June's general election will spark more unrest and further harm the tourist industry.

Ardhika said that as part of a travel promotion this year, the tourist industry would launch at the end of this month an integrated package for foreign visitors which gives incentives on airlines, hotel and accommodation, travel agents, restaurants and shopping venues.

He said the package would not likely copy last year's program of Let's Go Indonesia marketing and public relations campaign, during which tourism-related industries offered bargain packages.

"This is more of a long-term program," he said. (das)