The new policies are those on the increase in the Immigration Check-points for Japanese travelers, the abolition of Clearance Approval for Indonesia Territory (CAIT) for Japanese yachts to enter the Indonesian territories via 18 ports, and the removal of the Cabotage Principle which gives priority access to cruises to embark/disembark at five harbors in Indonesia, Pitana said.
"With these new policies, we're hoping to increase Indonesia,s tourism competitiveness in the global tourism industry," Pitana told journalists at a media conference under the theme Indonesia Tourism Insight: Policy and Strategy, in the hope the new policies will help Japanese tourists travel conveniently to Indonesia.
At the same time, the Indonesian government has also removed visa requirements for citizens of 90 countries including Japan on short trips, he said, adding that in just several months, the policies have effected in the positive trends of tourist visits to the country, an increase of 15 percent compared to that of the previous year.
Indonesia has a variety of tourist sites including those which become Japanese vacationers favorite places ranging from natural, cultural and historical places of interests as well as tourist sites where they can see ritual or religious ceremonies.
Indonesia offers such natural tourist sites as beautiful beaches including, Jemeluk beach in Bali which is ideal for snorkeling and diving, Pink beach in Komodo, West Nusa tenggara province with beautiful pink sand which is very rare in the world. The other beautiful beaches are Tanjung Papuma beach in Jember, East Java, Klayar beach in Pacitan, East Jave and still many others, he noted.
"Japanese people can also visit some historical sites in Central Java as Borobudur temple (the biggest Buddhist temple in the world), Plaosan temple, Mendut temple and Sewu temple," Pitana added.
Japanese tourists can also visit such caves as Japan Cave in Biak, Papua, Japan Cave in Manado, North Sulawesi, Japan Cave in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Japan Cave in Bali and still many other Japan caves found in a number areas in Indonesia, he explained..
Marine Destinations
Thanks to a previous Presidential Policy, according to Pitana, today foreign yachts can enter the Indonesian territories at ease and process their Custom, Immigration, Quarantine, and Port (CIQP) documents in 18 ports.
The policies are aimed at increasing the number of yacht visits to the country up to 6,000 yachts in 2019. "Indonesia is looking to develop its marine tourism industry," he pointed out.
The ports covered in these new policies are: Sabang Port (Aceh), Belawan Port (Medan), Teluk Bayur Port (Padang), Nongsa Point Marina Port (Batam), Bandar Telani Bintan Port (Tanjung Pandan), and Sunda Kelapa & Marina Ancol Port (Jakarta), he said.
Benoa Port (Bali), Tenau Port (Kupang), Kumai Port (Kota Waringin Barat), Tarakan Port (Tarakan), Nunukan Port (Bulungan), Bitung Port (Bitung), Ambon Port (Ambon), Saumlaki Port Saumlaki, Tual Port (Tual), Sorong Port (Sorong), and Biak Port (Biak) are also ready to serve visiting yachts CIQP documents, he added..
On the other hand, the removal of the Cabotage Principle by the Indonesian Government gives ways to commercial operators to do their businesses in the country. "Cruises with foreign flags can now drop and take passengers in five ports in Indonesia," he added.
He further said the five ports are Tanjung Priok Port (Jakarta), Tanjung Perak Port (Surabaya), Belawan Port (Medan), Soekarno-Hatta Port (Makassar), and Benoa Port (Bali).
The Indonesian government gives privileges to Japanese travelers by providing more Immigration Checkout Points at arrival gates in 5 airports and 9 seaports. Additional Immigration Checkout Points are also available at departure gates in 19 airports, 29 seaports and two landed ports.
According to the ministrys statistics data, the arrivals of foreign tourists to the country in the period of January-August 2015 have escalated to almost three percent compared to those of the same period last year.
(T.B005/A/B005/O001)
Reporter: Bambang Purwanto
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
