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Indonesia’s government has set the target of 700,000 arrivals from India in 2018 and is currently reworking a number of marketing strategies towards reaching these targets. Arief Yahya, Indonesia’s tourism minister, said in a statement: “India has become (one of the) top five markets to Indonesia, with a growth rate of 30 per cent, second highest growth rate after China (last year).”

Commenting on the latest targets, Nia Niscaya (deputy minister for tourism marketing development in Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe) commented: “That is a high target to achieve. With limited seat capacity and direct service (Denpasar-Mumbai provided by Garuda Indonesia), we would like to optimise the available seats by making Singapore and Kuala Lumpur as hubs.”

In an effort to drive up the numbers of Indian arrivals to Indonesia, the ministry is considering opening a Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO) in Southern India, its third in the country after New Delhi and Mumbai. Locations outside of Bali have been identified as areas for key strategic development in Indonesia’s tourism landscape.

“During our recent visit to India, major travel companies (Cox & Kings, Thomas Cook India, Yatra, MakeMyTrip and FCM Travel Solutions) told us Bali sold itself and asked us to come up with other destinations to promote,” said Sigit Witjaksana, director of tourism marketing for Southern and Central Asia, Middle East and Africa. “We plan to meet their needs,” he continued.

According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism, arrivals from India in 2017 totalled 485,000. In the first two months of this year, Indian arrivals numbered 87,000, surpassing the traditional markets of Japan (74,000 arrivals) and South Korea (63,000).