Sandiaga Uno Gaspol Optimizes Tourism Sector After Saudi Lifts Travel Ban To RI

Sandiaga Uno (Photo via Twitter)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Menparekraf/Kabaparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno welcomes the decision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to lift the travel ban on its citizens to Indonesia.

Menparekraf Sandiaga in his statement, Wednesday, June 8, said this was the result of the collaboration of all parties who moved quickly to coordinate and communicate with the Government of Saudi Arabia to find solutions and at the same time encourage tourists from Saudi Arabia to be allowed to return to visit Indonesia.

Menparekraf Sandiaga himself previously made a quick move to communicate with the Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Indonesia when the temporary ban on the travel of these citizens to Indonesia was enforced.

"This is the result of our joint efforts from all ministries/agencies to coordinate and communicate with the Saudi Arabian government," said Menparekraf Sandiaga.

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga, said that the lifting of the ban is expected to have a major impact on the revival of tourism and the creative economy in the midst of Indonesia's efforts to improve the performance of the tourism sector as a driver of economic revival and job creation.

Saudi Arabia is one of the focus countries for the foreign tourist market which has great potential for Indonesia. Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the level of foreign tourist arrivals (tourists) in Saudi Arabia in 2019 was 157,512 with an average expenditure of 2,277 US dollars per foreign tourist per visit.

"Visiting foreign tourists, especially from Saudi Arabia, are expected to improve the performance of the tourism sector as a driver of economic revival and job creation," said Sandiaga.

Previously, the decision to lift the travel ban on Saudi Arabian citizens to Indonesia was conveyed by the Ministry of Home Affairs of Saudi Arabia.

"Revoke the suspension of travel of citizens directly or indirectly to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," the Saudi Ministry of Home Affairs wrote on their official Twitter account.