Indonesia Introduces Visa-Free Entry Policy, AIming to Secure Extra $25 Billion Revenue

Indonesia hopes to generate an extra $25 billion in revenue with a visa-free entry policy for foreigners. The goal is to give a major boost to the tourism sector.

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is committed to this goal. It plans to ensure the visa-free entry policy encompasses visitors from 20 countries. It is hoped that economic growth will follow if the tourism industry flourishes.

The Government wants the policy to attract high-quality tourists who prefer a more extended stay in Indonesia and, thus, contribute significantly more to the local economy. Among the 20 countries are the United Kingdom, Australia, India, United States, South Korea, China, France, Germany and more. The 20 proposed countries were chosen because they had the highest number of foreign tourists. Thus, this new policy will only result in an upswing in foreign tourism.

Achieving the 2024 Target

Indonesia’s target for 2024 is to achieve $12.9 billion in revenue. It is hopeful that this will happen once the visa-free entry policy comes into effect. The Government is anticipating that tourists will spend a minimum of $5,000 during their stay in Indonesia.

Indonesia also has a Golden Visa Program for international visitors, implemented in September. Under this program, eligible visitors can extend their stay in the country by up to 10 years, depending on the investment level made in the country. With this program running alongside the proposed visa-free entry policy, there will surely be a significant advancement in the tourism sector.