Indonesia Considers Expanding Visa-Free Travel to Boost Tourism Growth

Indonesia is looking to make it easier for international visitors to enter the country. The Tourism Ministry is advocating for a broader Visa-Free Visit (BVK) policy, citing strong evidence that simplified entry rules drive tourism growth and create jobs.

The move comes as neighboring Southeast Asian nations continue to loosen their travel requirements, putting pressure on Indonesia to remain competitive as a top destination.

What Is the Visa-Free Visit Policy?

The Visa-Free Visit policy, or BVK, is Indonesia's program that allows citizens of certain countries to enter without needing to apply for a visa in advance. The Tourism Ministry is pushing to expand this facility to more nations.

Currently, Indonesia lags behind regional rivals such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam regarding the number of countries granted visa-exempt status. The ministry's renewed push aims to close this gap.

The Economic Argument: Why Indonesia Wants to Expand

The numbers are compelling. A joint study by the World Travel and Tourism Council and Oxford Economics found that when Indonesia granted visa-free access to 169 countries in 2016, foreign tourist demand spiked by 24 percent, supporting the creation of approximately 400,000 jobs.

Building on that success, the Tourism Ministry refined its calculations using actual foreign tourist arrival data from 2018. Their estimate? The optimized impact of an expanded BVK policy on tourist demand could reach 32.4 percent.

"This figure shows that travel facilitation policies have a strong correlation with the growth of tourist arrivals," the Tourism Ministry stated.

Data from the WTTC backs this up, showing that countries with visa-free policies see a median annual increase in tourist arrivals of 16.6 percent, significantly higher than the 8.1 percent increase recorded by countries that introduce new visa types.

Furthermore, an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation study indicates that simplifying entry rules can increase arrivals by between 7.2 percent and 27 percent.

Which Countries Could Be Included?

The ministry has proposed expanding visa-free access through an 8+1 scheme, which would include:

• Japan

• South Korea

• India

• Australia

• New Zealand

• Belarus

• Kazakhstan

• Macau

• Permanent residents of Singapore

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri also confirmed that Indonesia is considering visa-free entry for China, India, South Korea, the United States, and European countries. The government has formed a team to study the specific details of this policy and will involve various ministries in the planning process.

The Current State of Indonesian Tourism

Despite visa restrictions, Indonesia's tourism sector is performing well. The country welcomed 14.3 million international visitors in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Arrivals have continued to rise in 2026, with 4.68 million visitors in the first four months alone, an 8.24 percent increase from the same period last year.

Malaysia remains the largest source of visitors, accounting for 16.65 percent of arrivals in April, followed by Australia at 12.65 percent and China at 10.73 percent.

Tourism contributed Rp 945.7 trillion (approximately $55.7 billion) to Indonesia's GDP in 2025, equivalent to 3.97 percent of the total economy, and provided livelihoods for 25.91 million workers.

What Travelers Should Know

While the policy is still under discussion, travelers from the countries mentioned in the 8+1 scheme should keep an eye on official announcements in the coming months.

If implemented, the expanded visa-free policy would make visiting Indonesia significantly easier for citizens of major tourism markets like China, India, South Korea, Australia, and the United States.

However, as the debate between the Tourism Ministry and immigration authorities shows, the policy must balance tourism growth with security concerns and economic interests.

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Final thought: Indonesia is making a strong case for expanded visa-free travel. If approved, the policy could unlock significant tourism growth, create jobs, and strengthen local economies. For travelers, it means easier access to one of the world's most diverse and beautiful countries.

Source: Antaranews

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