Indonesia offers visa on arrival for Middle East tourists

Vinod Nair

Saturday, May 12, 2007 12:31:52 AM Oman Time

MUSCAT — The tourism industry in Indonesia is witnessing a boom as the nation celebrates the highest number of foreign arrivals since 2001. In 2007, a total of six million tourists are expected.

Thamrin Bachri, director-general of tourism at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Indonesia, said that the government is focusing on visitors from the Middle East.

Around 60,000 tourists from the region visited in 2006 and about 100,000 visitors are being projected for this year and 150,000 for 2008.

The 80 per cent of tourists came from Saudi Arabia and followed by 18,000 to 20,000 tourists from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

To facilitate easy travel, the government has introduced a visa-on-arrival scheme for tourists from Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

The cost of visa is $25 for one month.

Thamrin said with 90 per cent of the Indonesians being Muslims, visitors from the Arab world can feel at home with nearly all hotels in Java are equipped with special rooms for prayer and food which are of the safe standards.

While no direct flights are available from Muscat, airlines from the neighbouring countries with more Indonesian expatriates operate directly to Jakarata with some even connecting to the tourist attraction of Bali. All international airports in Indonesia have Arabic signboards.

Thamrin admitted that travel from Oman is on the costlier side in the absence of direct links but he said things would change in the coming years with more airlines operating to Oman, which is also a major tourist destination.

Travellers to Indonesia, especially soccer fans, can witness AFC to be co-hosted by four nations-Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar will represent the Arab world.

Games will take place in Gelora Bungkarno Stadium in Jakarta from July 7 to 29. The stadium has a good pitch and has undergone renovations to invite visitors from many Asian countries.

There is a meeting of the travel industry in Bali from September 25 to 28 for PATA Travel Mart with delegates from all over the world attending the event.

The year 2008 is seen as ‘Visit Indonesia Year’ with the government targeting seven million arrivals to mark the anniversary of the nation’s Awakening Day, which will be celebrated with huge number of events and concerts.