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On Tuesday (05/03) Indonesia Investments released the February 2019 edition of its monthly research report. The report aims to inform the reader of the key political, economic and social developments that occurred in Indonesia in the month of February 2019 and also touches upon key international developments that impacted on the Indonesian economy.
Starting from 2019 local authorities on Bali plan to impose a USD $10 levy on every foreign tourist who enters the popular tourist island. Meanwhile, the levy on the entry of a domestic tourist would be IDR 10,000 (approx. USD $0.70).
Indonesia's Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said her ministry is currently studying the proposal to scrap the luxury goods tax (PPnBM) for the arrival of foreign cruise ships or luxury yachts into Indonesian waters. Based on Finance Ministry Regulation No. 35/PMK.010/2017, the tariff on cruise ships or luxury yachts can be as high as 75 percent as they are categorized as luxury goods.
Events that are organized in the regions of Indonesia should be able to boost the local economies as a big number of domestic and foreign people come to visit the events. These visitors need a place to stay, eat & drink, and are usually interested in buying some local souvenirs. Hence, their money is injected in the local economy.
Two international events are estimated to have a significant impact on the Indonesian economy in 2018. Firstly, the 2018 Asian Games, to be held from 18 August to 2 September 2018 in - and around - the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang. Secondly, the 2018 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group, to be held in Nusa Dua, Bali, on 12-14 October 2018. Both events will trigger foreign exchange earnings and give rise to a boost in economic activity.
Foreign visitor arrivals in Indonesia showed good growth in February 2018. Based on the latest data of Statistics Indonesia (BPS), a total of 1.2 million foreigners entered Indonesia for a short visit in the second month of 2018. This constitutes a 9.1 percent increase compared to the preceding month and a 17.4 percent increase compared to February one year ago.
Last week Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) announced that a total of 1,039,639 foreigners entered Indonesia in January 2018, down 6.19 percent year-on-year (y/y) from foreign visitor arrivals in the same month one year earlier. Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said the main reason for this weak performance is the aftermath of the Mount Agung eruption, a volcano that is located on Bali (the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia).
In full-year 2017 Indonesia welcomed a total of 14.04 million foreign visitor arrivals, a new record high and up 21.9 percent year-on-year (y/y) from 11.52 million foreign visitor arrivals in the preceding year. However, Southeast Asia's largest economy failed to achieve its 2017 target of attracting 15 million foreign tourists. Main reason was heavy volcanic activity at Bali's Mount Agung.
Last year Indonesians went on holiday, abroad, more than ever before. According to the latest data, a total of 9.1 million Indonesians visited some time abroad for their holiday in 2017, up from 8.4 million Indonesian tourists in 2016, or 8.1 million tourists in the preceding two years. What explains this rising trend?
The flow of tourists to Bali, Indonesia's top tourist destination, is gradually recovering after the eruption of Mount Agung (although the volcano is still showing activity). Therefore, Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya is optimistic that Bali will welcome at least seven million foreign tourists in full-year 2018.
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In early May 2017 it was reported in Indonesian media that a tourist from Singapore was bitten by a komodo dragon in the Komodo National Park, a famous park - located within the Lesser Sunda Islands in the eastern part of Indonesia - that was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO as well as selected as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. It is a popular tourist destination for both local and foreign tourists as they can observe the komodo dragon, a large lizard that has a dangerous venomous bite and fearsome reputation.
Indonesia's Tourism Ministry is optimistic it can boost the number of American tourists who visit Indonesia by 25 percent to 375,000 individuals in 2017. Last year a total of 300,000 US citizens visited Indonesia for a holiday, up 11 percent year-on-year (y/y) from US visitor arrivals in the preceding year. Arief Yahya, Indonesian Tourism Minister, said the island of Bali is the favorite tourist destination for American tourists in Indonesia.
Labuan Bajo, a small harbor town on the island of Flores in Indonesia's Nusa Tenggara region, is considered the "new Bali" due to its huge tourism potential. Blessed with beautiful and idyllic natural scenery (including beaches and offshore islands), foreign and domestic tourists will surely have a great experience. Although there are already about a dozen of high-class hotels (4 or 5 stars) and it is fairly well connected to other parts of Indonesia (through its Komodo Airport and port), the small fishing town remains underdeveloped for now.
Elly Dimara never thought that he would be interested to open an inn named Piaynemo Homestay. Well, until five years ago. "I saw the great tourism potential of Raja Ampat. Moreover, I realized that I have a great plot of land that I can develop into a tourist attraction", Elly said.
Indonesia's national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is ready to open a new flight route between the famous island of Bali and Chengdu (the provincial capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China) in order to cater Chinese passengers going to Bali. Arif Wibowo, General Director of Garuda Indonesia, informed that this new international route is scheduled to be opened in January 2017. He added that Chengdu has great potential in terms of boosting foreign tourist arrivals to Bali. Garuda Indonesia already flies passengers from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to Jakarta.
In Indonesia media are currently not focused on the Giro d'Italia or the upcoming Tour de France but rather on the Tour de Flores, the first ever cycling race as well as the first ever international sporting event that is organized on the island of Flores in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. Between 18 and 23 May 2016, 160 competitors from 16 countries participate in the Tour de Flores competing for IDR 1 billion (approx. USD $75,000) in prize money over a 743-kilometer track (in five stages) across the island's spectacular landscape.
Until 19 March, a Belgian mission - led by Princess Astrid, accompanied by four ministers and 301 participants (including 127 company representatives) - visits Indonesia in an effort to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation between both nations and boost foreign direct investment from Belgium into Indonesia. According to the Belgian Embassy, the ongoing mission in Indonesia is the fifth - and largest ever - economic mission conducted by Belgium in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Belgium is the fifth-largest investor from the European Union (EU).
Indonesia's Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said the government plans to offer the visa-free entry facility to 84 additional countries in 2016. This facility means that foreigners from designated countries do not need to obtain a visit visa before entering Indonesian territory (for visits under 30 days). This visa-free entry facility makes it easier for foreign tourists to enter Indonesia, and therefore it should boost tourist figures and foreign exchange earnings from the tourism industry.
Indonesia was visited by 6.3 million foreign tourists in the first eight months of 2015, up 2.7 percent (y/y) from the same period last year. However, foreign visitor arrivals on Bali, the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia, fell 11.3 percent (y/y) in August due to the temporary closure of Bali's Ngurah Rai international airport as Mount Raung (located in East Java) spew volcanic ash into the sky. This led to a sharp drop in Australian tourists entering Bali.
Recently the president issued Presidential Regulation number 69 of 2015 on Exemptions of Visit Visa (Visit Visa Regulation). Before the issuance of the Visit Visa Regulation, foreigners were obliged to obtain a Visit Visa before being able to enter Indonesia. Under the new regulation foreigners are exempted from this obligation. The Visit Visa Regulation is an attempt of the Indonesian government to boost the tourist industry and increase the number of foreign tourist in Indonesia. The Visit Visa Regulation is in force since June 10, 2015.
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