Travel ban not affecting tourism

JAKARTA: State Minister for Culture and Tourism I Gede Ardika said on Friday that the Malaysian government travel advisory warning its citizens against visiting Indonesia, had had little impact.

Speaking to journalists after meeting President Megawati, the minister said Malaysians were continuing to visit to Indonesia.

Data from the Tanjungpinang immigration office suggested that the number of Malaysians visiting Bintan still constituted 20 percent of total foreigners visiting the island. More than 17,000 foreign tourists visit Bintan every month.

An average of 100 Malaysians visit Batam every day and their number usually increases on weekends. They visit Batam to buy clothes and other daily necessities. -- JP