KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. Since 2017, the government of Indonesia has implemented a visa-free visit for 169 countries. This is regulated in Presidential Regulation Number 21 of 2016. But at present, the government plans to evaluate it and remove visa-free from countries that do not provide many benefits.

Maritime Affairs Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that his party would evaluate this regulation this year. According to him, there is the potential for the abolition of visa-free for countries that do not provide many benefits.

"Yes it could be (not re-released), it depends. Once again we see the benefits. Which has no impact, what the risk is greater," explained Luhut, Monday (3/18).

Although he was conducting an evaluation, Luhut did not want to disclose which countries would be eliminated from his visa-free visit.

Previously, visa-free was applied, among others, for China, Japan, and South Korea. Then, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico. Also, Russia, Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Qatar, and South Africa.

Based on data from the Ministry of Tourism, the number of foreign tourist arrivals in 2018 reached 15.81 million, a growth of 12.58% compared to 2017 which recorded 14.04 million visits. However, growth is slower when compared to 2017 which grew 21.88% compared to the previous year.

Foreign tourist with the highest number in 2018 came from Malaysia (2.50 million), China (2.14 million), and Singapore (1.77 million) while foreign tourists with the most top growth (when compared to 2017) came from Timor Leste (83.5%), New Zealand (20.01%) and Malaysia (17.9%). For tourists who experienced the most decline came from the Philippines (-29.56%), Taiwan (-21.41%) and Brazil (-18.29%).

Editor: Khomarul Hidayat