JAKARTA - Indonesia’s Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno is on a mission to get Chinese tourists to look beyond Bali for their next tropical getaway.
"Top of mind for Chinese tourists is still Bali," Uno said in an interview with Bloomberg Television's Stephen Engle on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Dalian, China.
"But increasingly, these younger Chinese tourists would like to experience the other three S of sun, sea and sand — into serenity, spirituality and sustainability," he added. So, the government is developing “Bali experiences” on many other islands to bring in 1.3 million visitors from China this year.
Labuan Bajo, near the island that is home to Komodo dragons, and Unesco world heritage site Borobudur temple are among the five destinations where the government is developing tourism standards close to Bali's.
People on Bangla walking street after sunset in Phuket, Thailand, on July 6, 2023. (Photo: Bloomberg)
While Chinese tourist spending is expected to rebound beyond pre-pandemic levels this year, Indonesia is losing out to neighbours Thailand and Singapore that offer visa waivers for short visits.
Indonesia will finalise visa waivers for more countries before the change of government in October, said Uno. He previously said that the visa-free entry policy will be expanded to 20 more nationalities, including China, the United States and India.
Uno is also expecting tourists to spend more. Visitors used to spend about US$900 per person before the coronavirus pandemic, now they are doling out about $1,600. "So, we’re looking at more quality tourist arrival, people who stay longer and people who spend on the local economy," he added.