Jakarta (ANTARA) - Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana expects that the government's decision to reduce domestic flight ticket prices for the year-end holiday period will help bolster domestic tourism.

"The price adjustment is necessary to relieve the burden on the people and the tourism sector as we welcome the Christmas and New Year's holiday period," Wardhana noted as per the ministry's written statement here on Thursday.

Wardhana remarked that the move is expected to help domestic tourism industry actors provide affordable travel packages to residents.

Wardhana said that the consensus in giving rebates on flight tickets should be attributed to ceaseless coordination between the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development, and the government's special task force on ticket price reduction.

The task force, in particular, is united in its mission to ensure that flight ticket prices will be more affordable for people planning on spending their holidays at the year-end.

Transportation Ministry's spokesperson, Elba Damhuri, confirmed on Wednesday the government's decision to provide a 10-percent discount for domestic flight tickets during the 2024 Christmas and 2025 New Year holiday period.

Related news: Govt to provide 10-percent rebate for year-end holiday flight tickets

He explained that the rebate could be offered, as aviation industry stakeholders have announced their planned contribution to help reduce flight ticket prices.

The decision, as told by Damhuri, also reflected President Prabowo Subianto's keenness to help people planning to travel to domestic destinations during the holiday.

The fare adjustment will apply to available tickets for flights on December 19, 2024, until January 3, 2025, he remarked.

"Passengers who had earlier purchased tickets for flights within the period shall receive incentives from airline companies whenever possible," the spokesperson noted.

However, Damhuri clarified that the price reduction does not apply to the value-added tax, which remains in effect for each ticket purchase, as tax regulations fall under the purview of the Finance Ministry.

Related news: Govt moves to rein in domestic airfares

Translator: Hreeloita DS, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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