Express Transindo Utama (TAXI), Indonesia's second largest taxi operator after the famous Blue Bird Group, is showing signs of aggressive expansion. In 2012, it became the first Indonesian taxi company ever to go public on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). It plans to expand its taxi fleet size from the current 8,000 units to over 15,000 by 2015. Regarding expected net profit in 2013, the company has mentioned a 50 percent increase from last year's IDR 79.2 (USD $8.2 million).

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Foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia went up 14.50 percent in February compared to the same month last year, according to data published by Statistics Indonesia (BPS). In absolute numbers, this translates to more than 678 thousand foreign tourists that visited Indonesia in February. As usual, most tourists entered Indonesia through Bali (Ngurah Rai airport) or Jakarta (Soekarno-Hatta airport). Together, these airports account for over 60 percent of total foreign arrivals.

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Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia's national airline, is planning to sell bonds worth IDR 2 trillion (US $205.1 million) in Quarter II - 2013. The bonds, which are denominated in IDR rupiah, will have a five-year maturity. Proceeds of the bond issuance will be used by the company for capital expenditure (capex), which includes investments in aircrafts and working capital. The airline is currently searching for a lead underwriter through a tender.

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On Tuesday 12 March there will be no transportation possible to the island of Bali, Indonesia's most popular destination in terms of tourism. On that day Hindus celebrate Nyepi, i.e. the Day of Silence or the Hindu New Year in the Balinese Saka calendar. Bali still contains a Hindu majority population amid Indonesia's Muslim-majority population. The island's traditional Hindu culture and customs is one reason for the annual millions of foreign arrivals.

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Indonesia is a country with great tourist potential. It has beautiful and varied landscapes, rich cultures, and vibrant cities. Foreign appreciation for Indonesia's tourism sector can be concluded from the continued rising number of foreign tourists in recent years. Today, Statistics Indonesia published the official figures for 2012. According to the institution, Indonesia was visited by 8.04 million foreign tourists in 2012. Moreover, this result meant that the government target was met.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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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