Govt to improve accessibility for Chinese tourists

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave pledged yesterday that the government will improve accessibility for Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia.

"We need to improve visa services for Chinese to attract more tourists from China, the world's most populated country," he said.

Joop, who visited China from July 17 through July 22, signed a memorandum of understanding for promotion of cooperation in the tourism industry between the two countries with the chief of the Chinese National Tourism Administration, Liu Yi, in Beijing last week.

"Based on the agreement, we will launch action plans, including provision of better services and accessibility for Chinese tourists," he said.

Indonesia, for example, will prepare more Chinese speaking tour guides, he said.

Joop also said that both countries will encourage visits of their nationals to each other.

So far there are two Chinese air carriers serving Indonesia -- Air China and China Southern -- three times weekly. And Garuda Indonesia flies to China twice a week. Current flights to and from Hong Kong, however, total 31 times per week, with 16 flights provided by Cathay Pacific and 15 by Garuda.

During his Chinese visit, Joop also met with Chinese Minister of Post and Telecommunications Wu Jichuan and Vice Premier for Economic Affairs Zou Jia Hua.

Procedures

Meanwhile, the president of PT Setia Tour, Nurdin Purnomo, who joined Joop on his China trip, told The Jakarta Post here yesterday that Indonesian authorities need to arrange easier procedures for the issuance of visas for Chinese visitors to support the development of the country's tourism industry.

Indonesia, which normalized its diplomatic ties with China in 1990 after a 23-year break, is apparently still very careful in opening the door to Chinese. The government, for example, maintains the ban on books and other printed matter with Chinese characters. However, the two countries have tried to improve economic cooperation, including that in electronic and printing media technology based on an agreement signed in February 1992.

"Cooperation between private sector companies, including travel agencies, from both countries definitely depends on government policies," Nurdin said.

Nurdin said that so far Chinese people intending to visit Indonesia must first find sponsorship in Indonesia.

"The Indonesian embassy in Beijing should ease procedures for getting visas," he said, adding that the Chinese tourist market has a great deal of potential. (icn)