Domestic airfares in Bali are about to get cheaper. With renewed commitment from the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir and a new partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, leaders have given their assurances that it will soon be much cheaper to travel around the Indonesian archipelago.
This is positive news for both Indonesian residents and international tourists. With so much to discover across the country, the affordability of domestic airfares is one of the biggest factors for international holidaymakers and travelers planning their trips in the region, especially for those on longer backpacking adventures.
In many cases, it has proven cheaper to fly to destinations across Indonesia via destinations like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok.
The issue here is that leaving Indonesia for a regional flight means being stamped out of Indoniea, thus invalidating the single entry 30-day visa on arrival, meaning when tourist then land back in Indonesia after only a few hours, they have to reapply for their 30-day visa on arrival visa and fork out IDR 500,000.
Better regulation of domestic airfares will enable holidaymakers to visit Bali, enjoy all the province has to offer, and explore any number of the country’s 17,0000 islands as an add-on adventure.
Minister Thohir has confirmed that he has appointed a new project manager officer and supporting team to overcome the longstanding issues of rising domestic airfares.
The cost of domestic airfares has also been an issue taken up by the previous Minister for Tourism, Sandiaga Uno, and Minister for Investment, Luhur Bisan Pandjaitan, back in September. As the new government gets to work, these commitments have been taken up by the new cabinet.
Following a meeting with the new Minister for Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, Minister Thorir told reporters, “We will form a team together to provide solutions. If we used to talk about the Task Force, or my version is PMO, it is the same as the purpose of harmonizing all policies to become a single decision that can provide the intended solution regarding the ticket price.”
He told reporters that the complexities of the tourism sector cannot be underestimated and that a collaborative approach between the tourism sector, the transportation sector, and the aviation industry more broadly.
Minister Thohir wants solutions to be competitive and sustainable, bringing benefits to the economy in the long run.
Minister Thohir explained that the new working group would be formed in the next one to two weeks and would get to work the right way. With the Christmas and New Year holidays coming up, both domestic and international travelers will want to see solutions implemented quickly.
Over the festive season, Bali sees an influx of international and domestic tourists. Generally speaking, over one million international arrivals travel to Bali for the festive season, and almost as many domestic tourists too.
Since most domestic tourists travel to Bali over land and sea, arriving at Giliamnuk Harbour from East Java, leaders are acutely aware of the impact that the increased volume of vehicles can have on holiday traffic congestion.
By reducing domestic airfares and making it easier for domestic tourists to fly into Bali, there is a knock-on impact on the amount of traffic on the roads.
Bali is increasingly well-connected to the rest of Indonesia when it comes to domestic flights, with a new service announced just this week.
As of the 20th of November 2024, Lion Air will launch a new direct flight between Bali and Palembang, operating on Mondays and Wednesdays.
The Corporate Communications Strategic of Lion Group, Danang Mandala Prihantoro, said, “The Palembang – Bali route is presented to strengthen connectivity between South Sumatra and Bali.”
“Both areas have rich attractions in terms of culture, economy, and tourism. Palembang is known as the center of business and economy in South Sumatra, and it has a unique historical wealth, such as the Ampera Bridge and the Musi River.”
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