The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has proposed issuing free entry visas to travellers from 20 countries as an effort to push up tourist visits and bring a multiplier effect on the economy, state news agency ANTARA reported.
"The ministry proposed 20 countries with the highest (number of) foreign tourists, except for those with existing visa exemptions," Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said in Jakarta.
The 20 countries include Australia, China, India, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, among others.
Uno said that the provision of free entry visas to the 20 countries is expected to increase foreign tourist visits, which will generate a multiplier effect, boosting domestic consumption, attracting investment, and supporting the development of the digital economy.
"We are targeting quality tourists, especially those with longer stays and higher spending in the local economy," he pointed out.
The government will finalise the list of countries included in the provision within one month, according to a statement, Reuters reported.
According to official data, more than 16 million foreign travellers arrived in Indonesia in pre-pandemic 2019.
The southeast Asian nation is the latest country in the region to consider waiving visas for China, a major travel market, followed by Singapore, which said a 30-day mutual visa exemption with China will be implemented early next year, Reuters reported.