Visa-on-arrival policy

Visa-on-arrival policy

We, in the tourism industry, read with some trepidation the
recent reporting of the minister of justice's plan to change the
visa-on-arrival policy, possibly eliminating the free visa for
certain countries, including the USA and Australia.

Minister Yusril Mahendra hopes that the tourism industry
should support his view of the unfairness of certain countries'
visa regulations towards Indonesia. We regret that we are unable
to support such a decision -- based primarily on well understood
and shared emotions -- which would surely result in serious
economic consequences for the hardworking people of this country.

Our industry, including the hotel association (JIHA), travel
agents (ASITA) and airlines, has thoroughly examined this
situation, and has concluded from careful research that any
change in the current tourist visa policy would lead to a drop in
both leisure and business arrivals, possibly as severe as 25
percent, i.e., over one million tourists a year.

At this point in time, such a move would cripple the valuable
efforts from both the government and the private sector to bring
tourists back to Indonesia, especially Bali, which is still deep
in recession.

Our analysis concludes that the biggest loser in this
situation would be human resources, since the revenues from
tourist arrivals go far beyond the hotels to shops, restaurants,
transportation companies and even farmers. Every individual
visitor who cancels their planned visit could mean one million
unemployed. This is simply unacceptable.

We appeal to Minister Mahendra to take serious note of this
and not jeopardize the lives of our people.

We would rather have Australians coming here to keep Bali
alive, than to travel to Australia ourselves. We all have our
pride, but let's think practically.

Please reconsider this ill-advised action, at least until such
time as tourist arrivals are back on target.

Indonesia must be able to compete actively with other major
tourist destination within the ASEAN region, which are spending
many millions of dollars -- and have free visa policies -- to
encourage foreign tourism.

There are plenty of other places for travelers to visit, and
the people of Indonesia will simply lose their livelihood to
neighboring countries. Now is not the right time to make any
changes, especially to the visa-on-arrival policy.

ALISTAIR SPEIRS, National Chairman Pata Indonesia Chapter,
GEORGE BENNEY, Chairman Jakarta Hotels Association, MEITY ROBOT,
President of ASITA