Indonesia Pulls Visa-Free Travel for Australia

Jakarta Globe, Feb 16, 2015

A sailboat crosses the Bali Strait. Indonesia's idyllic beaches are a major
draw card for Australian tourists each year. (Antara Photo/Zabur Karuru)

Jakarta. Indonesia will withdraw its offer of visa-free travel for Australian tourists after the neighboring country failed to reciprocate, Indonesia’s tourism minister confirmed on Monday.

Australia was among five countries — including Japan, China, South Korea and Russia — that were offered a visa waiver by the government late last year as a means to boost tourism numbers.

On Monday, however, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said Australia would now not be included.

“Indonesia offers visa-free travel to countries that can offer us the same things,” Arief said. “Australia requires a visa for every foreign tourist to enter the country.”

“That means they won’t ever offer Indonesian tourists visa-free travel, even though we offer it to them.”

The minister said the two countries could not reach an agreement and could not force the issue.

Indonesia has set an ambitious goal of doubling foreign visitor numbers to 20 million per year by 2019, and waiving the 30-day visa on arrival for select countries was one of the policies aimed at boosting visitors.

With over a million visitors last year, Australia is a key source of tourists to Indonesia.

Arief said Indonesia was still negotiating the arrangement with the four other nations, and that Japan has agreed to the plan.

Tourists from Singapore snorkel at a coral reef in the waters off

Lombok, West Nusa Teggara. (AFP Photo/Sonny Tumelaka)

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