ASEAN common visa to boost tourist flow to region

Adoption of a common visa system by ASEAN member countries will definitely lead to an increase in the flow of tourists to the Southeast Asian region, including Indonesia, an Indonesian official said. 

"If the ASEAN common visa system is applied, it will have a positive impact on tourism in the region," PLE Priatna, a senior official at the foreign affairs ministry`s ASEAN Cooperation directorate general, said here recently.

Indonesia, however, would not be the largest beneficiary of the increase in the foreign tourist flow, he said, adding that Thailand had so far been the biggest recipient of foreign tourists in the region.

He cited data showing that in 2010 Thailand received 11 million foreign tourists, Malaysia 5.6 million, Indonesia 4.6 million, Myanmar 2.79 million, and Cambodia 1.6 million.

Indonesia should try to attract more foreign tourists by stepping up promotions of the country`s interesting spots and objects, he said.

But attractive or interesting tourist objects were not the only factor in foreign tourists` decisions to visit a country as they also tended to be influenced by the visa application process they had to go through, according to Priatna.

He believed for instance, that the relatively low number of foreign tourists visiting Cambodia had something to do with the country`s visa application process.

"Indeed there are studies showing that low-cost tourism packages, public facilities and security are among the determinant factors for tourists to visit a country," he said.

In Indonesia`s case, poor transportation facilities were a factor deterring foreign tourists, he added.

"Many foreign tourists who firsty go to Singapore as a gate to the Southeast Asian region choose to proceed to Malaysia where transportation facilities are good and cheap," Priatna said.

Tourism is one of the 11 sectors given priority in ASEAN`s scheme to accelerate liberalization of its market, according to Ani Insani, director of tourism standardization at Indonesia`s tourism and creative economy ministry.

Source: ANTARA