'Travel to Indonesia now visa-free for Korean tourists'

Nailis Saadah, director of the Asia-Pacific region at Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism

By Baek Byung-yeul

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia ― An Indonesian tourism ministry official said a new visa-free policy will definitely encourage more Koreans to visit the Southeast Asian country.

“As Koreans have been granted 30-day visa-free visits since last year, more chances to discover the beauty of this country will be available,” Nailis Saadah, director of the Asia-Pacific region at Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism, said in Indonesia’s ancient royal capital city of Yogyakarta, on May 14.

“Besides Bali, there are a lot of tourist destinations here and we will make every effort to promote these spots,” she said.

The director said it is estimated that some 12 million foreigners will visit Indonesia this year.

“And we will target 16 million visitors from overseas by 2017,” she said.

Saadah, a native of Sumatra Island, said she is keenly aware of Korean tourists’ great affections for Bali.

“I know that Bali is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations for just-married couples from Korea. But there are more holiday spots that allow you to see firsthand the beauty of nature in Indonesia. For instance staying at a luxurious villa near the Buddhist temple of Borobudur would be a wonderful experience for newlyweds,” she said.

Saadah said Indonesia has been working to bring more tourists from East Asian countries.

“Indonesia is regarded all over the world as a famous sightseeing destination, and we are putting efforts into attracting more tourists from East Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea.”

According to the Indonesian tourism ministry, about 340,000 Koreans visited Indonesia last year and the number is expected to reach over 400,000 this year.

To promote other tourist spots besides Bali, Saadah said she is looking for various ways to attract young customers.

“Currently we are using social networking services, but in the near future, we will use a wider array of channels to promote Indonesia,” she added.