Tourism Ministry Proposes Visa-Free Visits Based on Three Key Indicators
The Ministry of Tourism has proposed adding visa-free visit facilities for tourists from a number of countries to increase foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia. The proposal is based on three main indicators: visitor numbers, spending levels, and the sustainability of arrival growth.
Ministry spokesperson Nia Niscaya stated that the countries proposed for visa-free entry are China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. The ministry is also proposing the facility for permanent residents of Singapore.
“Our consideration is based on the 3S and historical statistical data,” Nia said during a press conference for the ‘Liburan Cara Baru #DiIndonesiaAja’ campaign in Jakarta on Thursday (25/6).
The first indicator used by the ministry is size, or the number of tourists coming to Indonesia. Nia explained that this indicator examines visitor arrival patterns over the past 10 to 15 years. This historical data serves as the basis for assessing which countries have made a significant contribution to the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia.
The second indicator is spending, or the amount of expenditure by tourists while in Indonesia. Measurement is carried out through tourist expenditure surveys. The spending aspect is considered important because it directly relates to potential foreign exchange and the economic impact on the tourism sector and businesses in tourist destinations.
The third indicator is sustainability, or the sustained growth of tourist visits from the country of origin. The ministry assesses that countries showing a trend of sustained visits have greater potential to support national tourism.
“We weight size, spending, and sustainability, and those countries emerged,” Nia said.
Nia revealed that the ministry had previously proposed around 20 countries to receive the visa-free visit facility. However, the proposal will still be narrowed down in cross-ministerial and institutional discussions.
Regarding permanent residents of Singapore, Nia said the proposal was motivated by the market potential of international tourists residing in the country. Currently, Singapore permanent residents already enjoy visa-free facilities for visits to the Riau Islands. The ministry is proposing that this facility be extended to other destinations in Indonesia so that tourist visits can be more evenly distributed.
“We are requesting that they not only be visa-free to Kepri, but to other parts of Indonesia as well, because this is also good for the distribution of tourists and for regional progress,” she said.
Nia stressed that the final decision does not rest with the Ministry of Tourism. The proposal is still being discussed with the Immigration department and other relevant ministries under the coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs. “The decision is not ours. This is still being discussed with Immigration and related ministries in an ongoing forum. Let us wait for the results,” she said.