Government is Optimistic to Reach 12 Million Foreign Tourists Relying on 10 Priority Destination Spots

Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya

The Government is optimistic to boost foreign tourist visit up to 10 million peoples in 2015. Therefore, besides providing some facilities to boost the visit, the Government is still relying on the 10 priority tourism destination spots in Indonesia.

Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya said that until last August, the number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia was 6.3 million peoples or 103% of the target which is 6,150,000 peoples.

“This year, our target is to achieve 10 million tourists and we hope the number could be reached. Thus, the target to reach 12 million of foreign tourists in 2016 could be easier to get,” said Minister Arief to the reporters after a limited meeting led by President Joko Widodo, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Thursday (15/10) afternoon.

In order to achieve the target, according to the Minister, the Government has provided visa-free entry for the tourists from 90 countries. Through this facility, the services to the tourist is expected to improve, as well as the number of foreign tourists will increase.

“Our target of this visa-free policy is to add the number of foreign tourists by 1 million people per year starting in 2016. Once the tourists increase by 1 million per year, that means foreign exchange will add by Rp 1 billion as well,” the Minister said.

For the record, foreign exchange on tourism in 2014 reaches US$ 10 billion, US$ 9.4 billion in 2013, and expected to reach US$ 12 billion in 2015.

Moreover, the Government also provided a facility to the foreign tourists to enter Indonesian territory by using cruise ship or yacht. The Minister mentioned that previously the tourists needed 3 weeks to apply the Clearance Approval for Indonesian Territory (CAIT) before they can enter Indonesian Territory, but now the CAIT is repealed.

“We apply the standard that applies worldwide, namely CIQP (Custome, Immigration, Quarantine, Port) and it is expected to cut the time for tourists entering Indonesia to one day only. As soon as he/she enters the territory, he/she can process the application in one hour. Thus, they could directly enjoy the beauty of Indonesia,” Minister Arief said.

“The target of Minister of Tourism based on the Presidential Regulation on cruise ship or yacht starts to be implemented next year with the target of 3,000 yachts which will enter Indonesian territory. “That is equal to Rp 303 trillion, because the average spending of 1 yacht is Rp 1 billion. As it calculated when Dollar exchange rate to Rupiah is Rp 10,000, the spending of 1 yacht is about US$ 100,000 or Rp 3 trillion for 3,000 yachts. We hope in 2019 there will be 5,000 yacht entering Indonesia and give us US$ 500 million of foreign exchanges,” Arief said.

The Minister of Tourism added that the third regulation issued by the Ministry of Transportation is related to cabotage principle. Cabotage principle means every ship operating in Indonesia must be under Indonesian flag. However, due to the lack of yacht in Indonesia, cruise ship which enters Indonesia may load or unload the passengers at 5 big ports, namely: Belawan, Tanjung Priok, Perak, Benoa and Makassar.

“It brings benefit to Indonesia as well, if Indonesian wants to cruise, he/she does not need to go to Singapore because it is such a waste of money. Now, they can cruise via five Indonesian big ports,” Minister Arief said.

Moreover, foreign tourists who want to cruise in Indonesia, is now able to do it. They just need to fly from a place to the nearest airport and then they can cruise at the nearest port. For example, if the foreign tourists landed in Kualanamu Airport, they can go to Belawan Port to cruise, or they can go to Jakarta, and cruising via Tanjung Priok Port.

“Our projection is to boost the cruise ship visit in Indonesia by 1,000 ships,” the Minister said while mentioning that cruise ship visits in Indonesia in 2014 only reaches 400. If 1,000 cruise ship visiting Indonesia, national income in that sector will be US$ 300 million.

Thus, according to Minister of Tourism, from three policies or deregulations on tourism, foreign exchanges income is expected to increase by US$ 1.8 billion.

In order to support those efforts, the Government has set 10 priority tourism destination spots, among others: Borobudur in Central Java, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Bromo Tengger Semeru in East Java, Seribu Islands in Jakarta, Toba in North Sumatra, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi, Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Morotai in North Maluku and Tanjung Kelayan in Belitung.

“These are 10 destination spots that we are going to prioritize in 2016 and it is expected as a start to revitalize the new destination spots. Thus, Indonesian destination spots are not limited in Bali, Yogyakarta, Jakarta and Riau Islands (Kepri), but we will build the new destination spots in Indonesia,” the Minister of Tourism said. (SLN/RAH/ES) (RAS/MMD/YM-Naster/Sy)