AMN / WEB DESK
In a bid to give further boost to its tourism industry and bring a multiplier effect on the economy, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism has proposed issuing free entry visas to travelers from 20 countries including India.
The ministry proposed 20 countries with the highest number of foreign tourists, except for those with existing visa exemptions, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said in Jakarta. He said the provision of free entry visas to the 20 countries is expected to increase foreign tourist visits, which will generate a multiplier effect, boosting domestic consumption, attracting investment, and supporting the development of the digital economy.
We are targeting quality tourists, especially those with longer stays and higher spending in the local economy, he pointed out. The 20 countries include Australia, China, India, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, among others, Reuters reported.
Citizens of China and India have been granted visa-free entry to Malaysia for a duration of up to 30 days from December 1, as earlier announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a speech at the People’s Justice Party congress.
China and India represent Malaysia’s fourth and fifth-largest tourist markets. Government data indicates that between January and June of this year, Malaysia welcomed a total of 9.16 million tourists. Of these, 498,540 were from China, and 283,885 were from India. This contrasts with the figures from the same period in 2019, before the onset of the pandemic, when Malaysia received 1.5 million tourists from China and 354,486 from India.
Similarly, Thailand, a neighboring country heavily dependent on the tourism sector, has also adopted measures such as exempting Chinese and Indian nationals, among others, from visa requirements. Thailand extended visa-free entry to Indians till May 2024. Thailand has announced the temporary removal of visa requirements for travelers from India and Taiwan until May 2024. Thailand welcomed 22 million visitors between January and October 29, resulting in a revenue of 927.5 billion baht (equivalent to 25.67 billion dollars).