Indonesia to Open International Tourism to 4 Countries

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government planned to open the tourism corridor to four countries, namely China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.

Deputy of Tourism Coordination and Creative Economy at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Odo RM Manuhutu, said that his office is discussing the matter with the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry.

“We’re setting tourism corridor for four countries, they’re China, South Korea, Japan, and Australia. This was touched in a closed meeting on May 28, 2020,” Odo said in a video press conference in Jakarta, June 13.

The four countries were chosen due to the number of tourists from the countries visiting the archipelago, besides their huge investment in Indonesia.

Odo went on to say that in the near future, probably only businesses who will travel to Indonesia. But the tourism activities will be opened under tight health protocols. “The businesses will come to Indonesia which will naturally invite tourists' visit,” he explained.

The foreign affairs ministry is discussing the criteria for the reopening of the tourism corridor which will be followed up with the discussions with several countries. A negotiation process will be done to agree on the criteria set by Indonesia based on the criteria set by those countries.

“The tourism corridor will be opened two to four weeks after we agree on a deal. In fact, many demands the reopening of certain routes,” he said.

However, there are a few considerations regarding health, safety, and technical readiness to open the tourism gate. Odo could not state the exact time about when will it be opened as it highly depends on the condition in each region, especially at the main tourist destinations.

Antara