JOIN US Indonesia has decided to make travel for Indians to the vast archipelago visa-free, as India joins a host of many other nations that would be bestowed with the privilege.
Currently, around 15 countries’ citizens are offered an open visa (visa-on-arrival) option on landing in Indonesia, but with the country wanting to up its tourism ante, it has selected many other countries to join the list.
“By January 2016, there will be no visa required anymore for India, which will join 93 other countries, whose citizens will be eligible for visa-on-arrival. This is being done since we look at tourism as a priority sector,” Indonesia Deputy Minister for Cultural and Tourism Resources Development I Gde Pitana said at the PATA Travel Mart 2015.
A weakness that Indians face while visiting Indonesia is the lack of direct flights. But talks are on to open direct flights between Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, with Jakarta, Medan, and Bali, in the near future.