Indonesia’s visa-free policy

 

The government of the Republic of Indonesia has granted visa-free facility for 169 countries, special administration regions, or particular entities as regulated by the Presidential Regulation Number 21/2016 dated 2 March 2016 on Visa-Free.

The visa-free facility is valid for maximum stay of 30 (thirty) days, non-extendable, and non-convertible to any other stay permit. This visa-free facility has no restriction on the number of visits in a year.

To obtain this visa-free facility, visitors can enter and exit from 124 immigration check points throughout Indonesia.

The above measure is in keeping with the travel facilitation study of UNWTO in 2013 which showed that visa simplification would increase international arrivals in a country by 20 to 25%.

Indonesia ranked 30^th in the world received 10.4 million international arrivals in 2015 a 10.3% increase over the previous year.

The visa-free facility will no doubt boost Indonesia’s growing tourism sector.

*Visa-free countries and list of immigration check points attached.

The Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) has been organising a 7-day professional training programme from 14 to 20 June for the officials from APSARA National Authority and heritage tour guides of Cambodia. This is IFT’s first-ever training programme specially designed for Cambodia and the first bilateral cooperation project after signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the Macao SAR Government and the Ministry of Tourism, the Kingdom of Cambodia.

There are 4 tourism-related officials and 20 heritage tour guides to participate in the training programme which is themed the Capacity Building of Tour Guides for International Visitors at Ankor World Heritage Site, Cambodia. The programme will strengthen the professional capacity of the Cambodian heritage tour guides through lectures, workshops and visits to the world heritage sites of the Historic Centre of Macao. During their stay in Macao, the participants were received by Dr. Tam Chon Weng, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture.

The participants were received by Dr. Tam Chon Weng, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture

The training programme is lectured by IFT Academic Coordinator of Heritage Management and Tourism Business Management bachelor degree programmes Dr. Sharif Shams Imon, Visiting Professor Dr. John Ap, Assistant Professor Dr. Cora Wong, as well as Dr. Ong Chin Ee, Lecturer, Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore. The scholars share their expertise with the participants and have discussions together on varies topics, including the importance of quality visitor services at heritage sites, understanding international tourism and tourists, providing quality visitor experience through guiding, presenting a world heritage site to visitors, working with host communities, management of visitors at a heritage site and developing strategies for quality visitor experience at Angor Wat. At the end of the training, the participants are divided into small groups for presentations as conclusions.   

Group photo of President of IFT, teachers and participants of the training programme

On 30 May 2016, the Macao SAR Government and the Ministry of Tourism, the Kingdom of Cambodia, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate in promoting sustainable tourism development through enhancing human capital and establishing collaborations in tourism education and training between Macao and Cambodia. Earlier on October 12, 2015, Macao SAR Government and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Macao. The objective was to enhance cooperation between the two parties in improving the quality of human capital and increasing the competitiveness of tourism destinations (particularly in the Asia Pacific Region) in order to achieve sustainable tourism development. The Global Centre for Tourism Education and Training, soon to be set up by IFT, is tasked with the responsibility to organise training and education programmes, and other projects in collaboration with UNWTO, to achieve the objectives set out in the Memorandum. This training programme for Cambodian tourism officials and heritage tour guides is the first training cooperation organised in collaboration with UNWTO.

Established in 1995, the Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao (IFT) offers the most extensive selection of tourism and hospitality related bachelor degree programmes in Macao, and about twenty thousand participants attend its vocational and professional training courses annually. IFT collaborates with 97 universities and tourism organisations around the world, and builds strong links with 500 leading tourism and hospitality corporations to offer internship opportunities to its students. Being the first institution accredited by the UNWTO.TedQual Certification System for tourism education, IFT has now 7 bachelor degree programmes with the Certification. Currently, the Institute has the most number of bachelor degree programmes certified under the System of any tertiary education establishment worldwide. IFT has received the Medal of Merit in Tourism from the Macao SAR Government, and won twice the Gold Award in ‘Education and Training’ from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Contacts:

Institute for Tourism Studies

Tel: (853) 28561252

Fax: (853) 28519058

www.ift.edu.mo

PR No.: 16046

The 28^th Joint Commission’s meeting discussed UNWTO’s Programme of Work for Asia and the Pacific, the link between tourism and security, and the ethical approach of the sector. The Conference was the first of its kind organized by UNWTO to highlight the linkage between new technology and tourism in the Asia-Pacific region in order to examine the current emerging technologies that are of primary relevance to the tourism sector. 

As summarised by Akihiko Tamura, Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan at the Opening: “Our work embraces not only tourism, but also transportation and infrastructure policies that require the latest advanced technologies. Finding out how to raise travelers’ satisfaction levels through various experiences and activities during their travels is a challenging but crucial task for us.”

To this, the UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai added that “Two major revolutions have marked the last decades: the travel revolution, which has positioned tourism as a fundamental element of our lives, and the boom of new technologies that have changed the game for many sectors including tourism. In both revolutions, nations from Asia and the Pacific have emerged as leaders.”

As estimated by UNWTO, 2030 will witness 1.8 billion international tourists travelling around the world. Of those, 535 million international travelers will visit Asia and the Pacific – a figure which almost doubles the current number of inbound travel to the region. In this framework of continuous growth, innovations brought to the tourism field by technological advances were identified during the Conference as opportunities to enhance the sector.

In this regard, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai underlined that the priority areas of the Organization such as making travel safer and more seamless through processes such as the e-visa, improving the quality and competitiveness of destinations and businesses, can be materialized in a better manner through innovation and technology.

Additional topics such as the use of ICTs within the tourism sector, consumer trends and new business models were also debated in the sessions. Mario Hardy, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), highlighted the new innovations that are changing the travel industry including crowdsourcing, the sharing economy, 3D printing and wearables, among others.

On the future impact of new technologies in the tourism sector, Yuri Furusawa, Vice-Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, mentioned that “Technological progress is enabling people to travel more easily, and we now live in an era in which, each year, 1.2 billion people enjoy overseas trips. Travel encourages direct human and cultural exchange, creating a basis for people to learn more about the importance of each other’s cultures and lives, and to live in harmony. Technology has made an immeasurable contribution to such developments.”

Additional information:

- Website of the Conference

- Photo gallery of the event

Contacts:

UNWTO Media Officer Rut Gomez Sobrino
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60 

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme
Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218

On 30 May 2016, Dr. Alexis Tam, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR Government and Mr. Tith Chantha, Secretary of State of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia, signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the visit to Cambodia with Macao’s delegation, to cooperate in promoting sustainable tourism development through enhancing human capital and establishing collaborations in tourism education and training between Macao and Cambodia. The ceremony was witnessed by Mr. Edmund Ho, Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Dr. Alexis Tam, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR Government and Mr. Tith Chantha, Secretary of State of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia, signed a Memorandum of Understanding

Earlier on October 12, 2015, Macao SAR Government and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Macao. The objective was to enhance cooperation between the two parties in improving the quality of human capital and increasing the competitiveness of tourism destinations (particularly in the Asia Pacific Region) in order to achieve sustainable tourism development. The Global Centre for Tourism Education and Training, soon to be set up by the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT), Macao is tasked with the responsibility to organise training and education programmes, and other projects in collaboration with UNWTO, to achieve the objectives set out in the Memorandum.

Mr. Edmund Ho, Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia witnessed the signing of the MOU and took a group photo with representatives of the signing parties

After the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Cambodia, a group of 20 Cambodian heritage tour guides and 4 officials from APSARA National Authority of Cambodia will come to IFT to attend a 7-day training programme from 14 to 20 June, offered in collaboration with UNWTO, on the topic of capacity building of tour guides for international visitors at Angkor World Heritage site, Cambodia. The training programme includes lectures, visit to the world heritage sites of the Historic Centre of Macao, and workshops, with the aim to strengthen the professional capacity of the Cambodian heritage tour guides.

IFT President Dr. Fanny Vong with 4 officials from APSARA National Authority of Cambodia

Established in 1995, the Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao (IFT) offers the most extensive selection of tourism and hospitality related bachelor degree programmes in Macao, and about twenty thousand participants attend its vocational and professional training courses annually. IFT collaborates with 97 universities and tourism organisations around the world, and builds strong links with 500 leading tourism and hospitality corporations to offer internship opportunities to its students. Being the first institution accredited by the UNWTO.TedQual Certification System for tourism education, IFT has now 7 bachelor degree programmes with the Certification. Currently, the Institute has the most number of bachelor degree programmes certified under the System of any tertiary education establishment worldwide. IFT has received the Medal of Merit in Tourism from the Macao SAR Government, and won twice the Gold Award in ‘Education and Training’ from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). 

Contacts:

Institute for Tourism Studies

Tel: (853) 28561252

Fax: (853) 28519058

www.ift.edu.mo

In order to provide diversified training opportunities for industry professionals and enhance management quality of the local service industry, Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) and Cornell University School of Hotel Administration co-orgainsed an Executive Development Programme on “Leadership and Motivation” on 26 and 27 May.  

The course addressed the real-world complexities faced by front-line leaders and their teams. During the course, participants gained insights about their personal leadership style and developed skills that promoted effective teamwork that had a lasting effect in their workplaces. The programme attracted 21 professionals of local hotels and mega resorts.

Two representatives from tourism authorities of Sri Lanka and the Philippines, nominated by UNWTO, attended the programme. “This was a very effective and useful programme for us,” said Mr. Mihira Liyanaarachchi, Director of Domestic Tourism and Community Relations of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. The other representative was Mr. Roberto Alabado, Regional Director of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism – Region XI. Their participation was the result of the MOU signed between Macao SAR and UNWTO in October 2015, in which both parties expressed their commitment to work together to enhance the quality of human capital for sustainable tourism development.

IFT had the honour of inviting Prof. J. Bruce Tracey from faculty of the School of Hotel Administration to give the lecture. In addition to Cornell, he has taught in a variety of degree programmes in Finland, Singapore, France and Switzerland. He has also facilitated numerous executive education courses throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.  Focusing on human resources strategy and management, Prof. Tracey’s research has examined a wide range of strategic and operational-level HR topics including the impact of training initiatives on individual and firm performance, employee turnover, employment law and leadership.

Group photo of IFT President, course leader and the participants

Through the programme, participants gain insights and skills to effectively leverage talent and organisational resources that are necessary for achieving long-term success.

IFT is always striving to enhance its teaching and research so as to contribute to the industry and the society. By organising seminars and workshops, IFT constantly shares with the industry the most updated information and research findings about the future development of Macao’s tourism industry and ways to enhance it.

Established in 1995, the Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao (IFT) offers the most extensive selection of tourism and hospitality related bachelor degree programmes in Macao, and about twenty thousand participants attend its vocational and professional training courses annually. IFT collaborates with 97 universities and tourism organisations around the world, and builds strong links with 500 leading tourism and hospitality corporations to offer internship opportunities to its students. Being the first institution accredited by the UNWTO.TedQual Certification System for tourism education, IFT has now 7 bachelor degree programmes with the Certification. Currently, the Institute has the most number of bachelor degree programmes certified under the System of any tertiary education establishment worldwide. IFT has received the Medal of Merit in Tourism from the Macao SAR Government, and won twice the Gold Award in ‘Education and Training’ from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Contacts:

Institute for Tourism Studies

Tel: (853) 28561252

Fax: (853) 28519058

www.ift.edu.mo

PR No.: 16041

Premier Li Keqiang emphasized tourism’s capacity to stimulate economic growth, create jobs and foster inclusive development. “As we look for new drivers of growth, tourism has a very important role to play not only for its direct impact but also for the value it adds to other sectors,” he said. During the occasion, China announced the launch of an international tourism cooperation plan.

Addressing the conference the President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyussi, emphasized that inclusion through tourism requires investment in education and capacity building.

The links between development and peace were stressed by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, who said: “There can be no development without peace and no peace without development”.

In a message delivered to the conference by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr Wu Hongbo, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “When tourism is well-managed, it has tremendous capacity to create decent jobs, provide opportunities for inclusion and education, and contribute to preserving cultural heritage and the environment.”

The conference included three main panel sessions dedicated to the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to poverty alleviation and to peace.

During the summit session, moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest, participants called for an integrated approach to tourism development that can contribute effectively to the SDGs. Issues discussed included effective resource management, the role of the private sector and the need for the SDGs to be understood by all - citizens, policy makers, and the business community.  

Participants in the session on tourism and poverty underlined that there is a lack of understanding and research on the impact of the sector on poverty levels. They called for better monitoring, measuring and communication through both solid indicators and people-centered stories.

The third session of the conference, dedicated to tourism and peace, stressed how people-to-people diplomacy is inherent to tourism while calling for investment in education and youth to build more stable societies.

The full list of speakers included: the Vice-Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mauritius and Vanuatu, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbo, representing the UN Secretary-General, ministers and high-level tourism officials from Argentina, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Germany, Georgia, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malta, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, UK, USA, Vanuatu and Zimbabwe, and SDG Advocate Ambassador Dho Young-Shim, as well as representatives of the World Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA), the World Tourism Cities Federation, the Petra National Trust Fund, the Beijing Municipality, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Guizhou Province.

Additional information:

- Programme of the Conference

- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Message

- Speech by UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai

- Address by Premier Li Keqiang

- Address by Vice-Premier Wang Yang

- Beijing Declaration 

- Resource section

- Pictures of the Conference

 

Contacts:

UNWTO Media Officer Rut Gomez Sobrino
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60 

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218 

PR No.: 16040

The conference is expected to bring together 1.000 public and private representatives from over 100 countries to discuss tourism’s role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on tourism’s capacity to fight poverty and build peaceful societies.

“Tourism’s capacity to contribute to more sustainable societies is reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the inclusion of tourism in three of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals - Goal 8 on economic growth and jobs; Goal 12 on sustainable production and consumption, and Goal 14 on marine conservation. Yet, tourism’s cross-cutting nature and multiplier effect on many other sectors positions it perfectly to advance all 17 Goals. This conference will be fundamental in engaging tourism leaders from around the world in this universal agenda,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.

“This conference is also a great example of our cooperation with the Government of the People’s Republic of China and reflects China’s commitment to make tourism a driver of inclusive development,” he added.   

The summit session, moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest, will discuss on how countries can align their tourism development with the SDGs, how the private sector can fully adopt the Goals and what national measures are critical to deliver on the Goals.

The Conference includes two other sessions: one on the role of tourism in poverty alleviation and the development agenda, and the second on tourism and peace.

Speakers include the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Wu Hongbo, representing UN Secretary-General, as well as Ministers and high-level tourism officials from Argentina, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Germany, Georgia, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malta, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, UK, USA, Vanuatu and Zimbabwe.

Tourism representatives will be joined by Ambassador Dho Young-Shim, Member of the UN Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group, representatives of the World Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA), the World Tourism Cities Federation, the Petra National Trust Fund, the Beijing Municipality, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces.

Representing the private sector will be Shun-Tak Holdings, Kuoni Group, tuniu.com, the Beijing Tourism Group, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the Japan Association of Travel Agents, The Travel Corporation, the China National Travel Service (HK) Group Corporation and Ctrip.com. 

Additional information: 

- Programme of the Conference

- Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals

- Tourism and Peace 

- Tourism and Poverty Alleviation

Contacts:

UNWTO Media Officer Rut Gomez Sobrino
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60 

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218 

PR No.: PR16034

On the occasion, a total of 29 countries signed the text of the Agreement that establishes the Organization. More countries are expected to join the sign-up before the beginning of the formal ratification and acceptance process.

The new International Organization results from the transformation of the UNWTO STEP Foundation into an international organization. The Foundation, based in the capital of the Republic of Korea, was launched in 2002 as a UNWTO initiative to harness the power of tourism to promote development and fight poverty, with a special focus on people living on less than a dollar a day. Hundreds of tourism professionals and government officials in developing countries benefitted from the work of the Foundation in the last decade. At its 20th session in 2013, the UNWTO General Assembly approved the transformation of the Foundation into an independent international organization to be headquartered in Korea.

The success of the ST-EP initiative was possible with the support of its partners including, among others, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, the Flemish Government as well as Macau SAR. The Government of the Republic of Korea in particular has provided its full political and financial support enabling the Foundation to implement some 115 projects in more than 40 countries.

Meeting with the Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yun Byung-se, Mr. Rifai thanked the government of the Republic of Korea for its leading role in the work of ST-EP initiative. "Culture and tourism are an important part of Korea's foreign policy" and the government will continue to support tourism initiatives both at home and abroad”, said Mr. Yun.

“Since its launch in 2002, the ST-EP Initiative has grown from strength to strength, bringing new opportunities to many around the world and contributing significantly to poverty reduction and sustainable development. Thanks to the generous support from all our partners, namely the Government of the Republic of Korea, we were able to build up a portfolio of 115 ST-EP projects around the world, benefiting more than 40 countries” said UNWTO Secretary General during the ceremony.

In his remarks, Mr. Kim Jongdeok, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, pointed out the importance of the ST-EP Organization in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Moving forward, the Republic of Korea will continue to support the International ST-EP Organization in achieving its full potential, and I humbly request our fellow countries gathered here to join us in the years to come” he said.

Under the direction of Ambassador Dho Young-shim, Chairperson of the Foundation, the new International ST-EP Organization will continue to address the challenges of poverty reduction through tourism.

On the occasion of his visit to the Republic of Korea, Mr Rifai also visited Andong, at the invitation of the Governor of the Gyeongsangbukdo Province, Kim Kwan-yong. The Province will host the 2016 Silk Road International Culture and Tourism Forum in November 2016 in the city of Gyeongju, strengthening its collaboration with UNWTO on culture and its linkages with tourism.

During his visit, Mr Rifai opened the UNWTO Asia-Pacific Executive Training Programme on Tourism Policy and Strategy (29 March to 1 April) held in Seoul. The Programme, supported by the Government of the Republic of Korea, celebrated 10th anniversary. This year’s edition, dedicated to human capital development, was attended by representatives of 21 UNWTO Member States from the region.

Useful links:

http://step.unwto.org/

Contacts:

UNWTO Media Officer Rut Gomez Sobrino
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60 / rgomez@unwto.org

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218 / comm@UNWTO.org

 

PR No.: 16025

Group discussions, case studies and a series of lectures integrated the 4-day training programme aimed at building skills for public sector executives in tourism policy. The 52 participants coming from 21 different countries in Asia and the Pacific also had the opportunity to share their experiences and best practices in fields such as tourism strategic planning and implementation.  

The topic for this year programme, ‘Human Capital Development in Tourism’, responds to the growing need of destinations in Asia and in the Pacific to enhance the quality of services, develop and retain human resources and improve the skills of tourism professionals as the sector gains increased relevance in the region.

“UNWTO has a strong commitment to talent development and capacity building. This training programme is probably one of the best examples of the efforts of the Organization in this field”, said UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai, opening the event.

“This is also a perfect example of how countries such as the Republic of Korea can contribute to tourism development. We are very thankful to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for the longstanding support provided to this programme. We have run this programme for a decade now, and the support that the Republic of Korea has given us has contributed greatly to its success, making a real difference to the many countries from around the world that throughout this decade have joined the programme” he added.

 Useful links:

Website of the 10^th UNWTO Executive Training Programme on Tourism Policy and Strategy

 

Contacts:

UNWTO Media Officer Rut Gomez Sobrino
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60 

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218