Indian Travelers Get Good News! After major tourist destinations like Malaysia and Thailand offer visa-free travel to India, the next stop could be Indonesia. Yes, you read that right! Indonesia can offer visa-free entry to travelers from 20 countries, including India. This is what awaits.
Indonesia plans to introduce visa-free Indian tourists like Malaysia, Thailand
According to a report in Hindustan Times (HT), the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia has proposed to grant visa-free travel to Indian tourists. This news comes as the destination has a telos to increase tourist visits, which in turn will have a domino effect on the economy. Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism, told Hindustan Times that the ministry has given 20 countries with the highest number of foreign tourists for free. But this does not include countries that have visa requirements.
With free entry visas to all 20 countries, Indonesia sees an opportunity to increase foreign tourist visits. This will be a way for the island nation to improve domestic consumption, enable the development of the digital economy to attract foreign investment. Also, according to Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, Indonesia is now trying to attract quality tourists. By this means tourists will stay longer and have a higher spending power in the local economy.
Indonesia will grant visa-free entry to citizens of 20 countries, namely India, Australia, China, France, Germany, the United States and South Korea. This will not only boost tourism but will also bring much needed wealth. According to a report by TOI, Indonesia’s Tourism Minister said that the government has ordered officials to review visa waiver options. Earlier, the country introduced the golden visa to attract foreign investment
The pre-pandemic tourism record shows that Indonesia received 16 million foreign tourists in 2019. From January to October 2023, there is a significant increase in the number of foreign tourists reaching 9.49 million. This is a huge 124.3% increase in the number of tourists between January and October 2022. What is interesting is the global trend of offering countries like Malaysia and Thailand for free. Recently, Malaysia allowed visitors from India and China to get visa free.
Interestingly, in September this year, Indonesia unveiled an attractive golden visa program that targets professional entrepreneurs and foreigners. According to the Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, under the golden visa, individuals will receive a residence permit lasting from 5 to 10 years. For a 5-year visa, a person must start a business in Indonesia which is worth $2.5 million. To take advantage of the 10-year visa, you must invest up to $5 million.
If corporate investors are looking for 5 golden visas for executives and employees, they need to invest $25 million. For a 10 year visa, the investment will be doubled, amounting to $50 million. Meanwhile, travelers, are you looking forward to a visa-free trip to Indonesia? With the arrival of countries in Asia offering visa-free entry, does this inspire you to focus on your travel to Asia?
