JAKARTA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia needs to promptly reform its tourism sector to mitigate the impact of the global crisis stemming from the Middle East conflict, which is disrupting global connectivity and increasing travel costs, said the country's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto on Wednesday.
The country risks losing around 5,500 international tourists and up to 184.8 billion rupiah (around 11.8 million U.S. dollars) in daily foreign exchange earnings if the situation is not addressed, according to projections by the Ministry of Tourism.
"Indonesia must immediately undertake reforms to mitigate losses from the global crisis while building a competitive, resilient, and globally competitive tourism sector and destinations," Airlangga said.
To that end, the government plans to expand its visa-free policy, with the Ministry of Tourism identifying 20 potential countries for inclusion, while also strengthening the domestic market through a micro-tourism approach.
The government will also push for the opening of new international routes, enhance Indonesia's branding as a safe destination, and develop special economic zones such as the Riau Islands and Kura-Kura Bali as hubs for tourists and global digital workers. ■