INDONESIA has finally decided to grant Australia’s travellers visa-free facilities despite the unlikelihood Indonesian passport holders will get the same treatment from the Australian government.
Australians were previously granted visa-free access into Indonesia, but got dropped from the list because Indonesian law stipulates the rights have to be given on a reciprocal basis.
The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism is currently requesting that Australia give its citizens visa-free access since Indonesia is one of the biggest source markets for Australia, with the potential to grow even further.
Even if unsuccessful, the new policy remains a boon for Indonesia’s arrival numbers, according to Arief Yahya, Indonesia’s minister of tourism, who expects some 20 per cent growth in arrivals from Australia with the change.
Citizens from a total of 168 countries are now granted the right to enter Indonesia visa-free for 30 days via selected major entry and exit points in the country.
