Indonesia may revoke visa-free facility for Aussies
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Thursday that his ministry planned to revoke the visa-free facility being enjoyed by Australian tourists.
"But we will do it gradually, because Indonesia has only limited consulates (in Australia to process visas)," Yusril said after meeting with Australian Minister of Immigration Phillip Ruddock in Canberra.
He said that once adopted, information about the regulation must be disseminated to Australians who want to visit Indonesia as tourists.
Yusril said the government would initially impose the "visa on arrival" regulation.
"They are welcome to Indonesia as tourists as they will have to pay for their visas upon arrival at the airport," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
He denied there was a political motive behind the plan, saying it was merely aimed at increasing Indonesia's foreign exchange revenue.
If Australian tourists reached six million per year, Indonesia could reap US$300 million by asking each of them US$50 for a visa to enter Indonesia, Yusril explained.
He noted that the Australian government imposed the same regulation on Indonesians visiting Australia.
Yusril further said the Indonesian government also planned to reduce the number of days allowed for Australian tourists to stay in Indonesia which is 60 days at present.
"This is because a lot of Australian tourists have misused their tourist visas to work illegally in Indonesia," he said.
He promised to coordinate with related institutions, including the foreign affairs ministry and the tourism ministry to reduce the impact of the regulation on Indonesia's tourism.
When asked for comment, Meity Robot, president of the central board of the Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA), told The Jakarta Post the association had not yet been informed about the planned visa policy.
She said the new policy, if implemented, could reduce the number of Australian visitors to Indonesia, especially to Bali, which is the most popular tourist destination in the country for Australia.
However, Bali governor Dewa Made Berata played down the potential impact of the new policy on the tourism industry on the island.
"If the Australian tourist arrivals drop, it won't cause a significant impact on the province's earnings," the governor told the Post in Denpasar.
He said Australia once ranked first in sending tourists to Bali but the number of Australian visitors dropped after bilateral relations between Indonesia and Australia soured following the referendum in East Timor in 1999.
Indonesia disliked the fact that Australia took a leading role in the 1999 referendum in East Timor and the peacekeeping force after the referendum.
The governor said Japan now ranks top on the list of the countries sending tourists to the island.
"Aside from being large in number, the Japanese tourists usually have more money and are more disciplined than the Australians. Honestly speaking, I like those kind of tourists, that is those who have money, and are well-disciplined," the governor said.
He hinted support for the government's plan to revoke the visa-free facility, saying it would make Bali a "high quality" tourist destination rather than a "cheap" one.
"Bali will be quickly damaged, if it is flooded with tourists who love partying but have no money," the governor said. (rid/jsk/zen)