REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Visa-free travel given to a number of countries have positive impact on foreign tourist arrivals. Minister of Tourism, Arief Yahya, said foreign tourists visits in August 2015 reached the target of 850 thousand people.

Arief stated that he is optimistic in the fourth quarter of 2015, the foreign tourists visits will reach 1 million people.

"Therefore, we will continue to boost promotion of visa-free travel to top countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, China, Australia, Japan, the Middle East and Europe-America," said Arief Yahya, Wednesday (30/9) ,

Since June 2015, through Presidential Decree No. 69 of 2015, President Joko Widodo had already signed visa-free policy to 30 new countries. Previously Indonesia had given visa-free to 15 countries.

"In total, there are 45 countries, given the ease of travel to Indonesia," he said in a written statement, Wednesday (30/9).

By the end of 2015, the President had agreed to add about 48 more countries. Thus, it could encourage foreign tourist to come to Indonesia.

"It is the right timing. November 2015 until January 2016 is a peak season. We hope that this could be effective," he added.

The Ministry promoted that living cost in Indonesia was not expensive. Indonesia in Competitiveness Index Tour and Travel Indonesia versi World Economic Forum (WEF) was ranked 3rd of 141 countries.

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