3-Year Tourist Visas for Japanese

(5/8/2010)

A proposal from a group of Japanese tourist that the visa period beyond the current 2 months maximum to three years has received support from the Bali Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) and the Bali Tourism Authority (Diparda).

As reported in Radar Bali, the chief of the Bali Tourism Authority, Bagus Subhisku, told the press that he supports the request of longer stays by Japanese tourists. Subhisku said: "We certainly support this issue because it can increase the length of stay. But, visa policy is in the control of the central government. We will (therefore) soon coordinate with the central government. And, whatever their decision we will honor it."

Subhisku elaborated his comments saying how a longer length of stay in Bali will result in for foreign exchange being spent on the island. At the same time he postulated that longer stays may increase the desire of visitors to invest in the island.

Adding his vote of support to the idea of longer stays was the Chairman of the Bali Tourism Board (BTB), Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, who has thrown his support to the idea, saying: "I support this idea because it will surely enhance the peoples' economy. At the same time I wish to underline these extensions should only be available for visitors on holiday and not for those who come to Bali to work."