Visa fee increases implemented by several countries have begun to create a new competitive landscape in the global tourism industry.
While Japan, Australia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, and several European countries have chosen to tighten entry fees for foreign tourists, Indonesia has taken the opposite approach by expanding visa-free facilities to attract more international tourists.
Through Ministerial Regulation Number 10 of 2026, Indonesia recently added six countries to the list of recipients of the Visa‑Free Visit facility:
1. Turkey
2. Brazil
3. Peru
4. Kazakhstan
5. Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China
6. Belarus
Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana stated that the visa facilitation policy has increased tourist arrivals by around 24%. Indonesia has even recorded higher results.
“According to the accurate data we obtained during 2018, the increase was actually higher than what the WTTC reported, namely 32.4 percent, and foreign exchange earnings also increased by more than 33 percent,” Minsiter Widiyanti said.
This finding is also supported by a study by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which showed that visa-free policies in member countries increased tourist visits by an average of 27%.
Strengthening connectivity with partner countries
Widiyanti sees this momentum as a strategy to open access, which is beginning to be reflected in the performance of Indonesia’s tourism sector.
The Ministry of Tourism recorded that foreign tourist visits from January to May 2026 reached 6.07 million, an increase of 7.68% compared to the same period last year.
In May 2026 alone, the number of foreign tourists reached 1.38 million, representing a 5.83% annual growth.
Widiyanti added this growth was primarily supported by the strengthening of the short-haul and medium-haul tourism markets, which have been a focus of government promotion in recent times.
According to her, this achievement demonstrates the resilience of Indonesia’s tourism sector, despite global economic uncertainty and geopolitical dynamics.
For the Indonesian government, this policy is expected to not only encourage tourism growth but also further strengthen Indonesia’s connectivity with various partner countries in the trade, investment, and international relations sectors, without neglecting national security aspects.
This step also demonstrates the government’s commitment to implementing immigration policies that adapt to global dynamics.
Sources : Bisnis, Memorandum
