Privilage for old tourists

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will allow elderly foreign tourists to stay in the country up to one year, a senior government official has said.

Director General of Tourism Andi Mappisameng said Wednesday the government was finalizing a presidential decree on the plan.

Among the conditions that potential holidaymakers will have to meet are adequate bank guarantees and a written statement that if they die in Indonesia, their body will be flown home.

"But Presidential Decree No. 31 will only apply to elderly holidaymakers from certain countries with four seasons," Andi said as quoted by Antara.

He did not specify what the definition of elderly was.

The countries to be listed in the decree are yet to be determined. West European countries, the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand are among those recommended, he said.

"Those countries have a large number of elderly citizens that can be lured into visiting and spending a lot of money in Indonesia," he added.

Andi did not say why only people from countries with four seasons would get the privilege. He only said the government did not want to see elderly tourists staying on a long-term basis posing a problem.

Most elderly people in Europe currently take their holidays in neighboring countries.

"The Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications is identifying holiday resorts in Java and North Sumatra suitable for elderly people," Andi said. (pan)