Indonesia will allow entry without visas to 47 more countries in another bid to make its tourism sector competitive with Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli said tourists from those countries can travel to Indonesia on a visa free policy from October, Antara reported.
"Originally it was proposed to be made effective in January next year but we don't want to wait too long. In addition we want to take advantage of the year end tourist season," the minister said on Tuesday.
The Indonesian government in April put 30 countries on the visa-free list for short stays to make the total 45.
Indonesia projected 10 million tourists this year after seeing 9 million visiting the country last year.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has said the policy would make Indonesia more attractive for travellers than Thailand and Malaysia, the Indonesian official news agency said.
Thailand targeted 28.8 million tourists this year. The projection was made before the bomb at the Erawan Shrine on Aug 17, which killed and injured visitors besides Thais.
But Col Winthai Suwaree, the spokesman for the National Council for Peace and Order, said on Thursday that the target remained on course after the evaluation of the impact by the Tourism Council of Thailand.