Indonesia seeks to promote the booming tech scene and spiritual getaways to make travelers come back to Bali and other islands in the archipelago. The largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has removed most of its travel restrictions. Fully-vaccinated travelers can visit Indonesia without the requirement for COVID-19 testing or quarantine. In April 2022, tourist arrivals to Indonesia spiked to 111,000, the highest number of arrivals since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Streamlined visa processing and more frequent flights should help the nation lure employees of global companies like Twitter Inc. and Airbnb Inc., which let their employees work from anywhere. Around 95% of surveyed ‘digital nomads’ have said Indonesia — particularly Bali — is their ‘top of mind’ destination for remote work, and they are ready to travel, Uno said.
According to the Tourism and Creative Economic Minister Sandiaga Uno, ecological tourism, sporting events, and a special five-year visa for remote workers could bring 3.6 million overseas travelers to Indonesia now that the borders have reopened. “The three Ss were: sun, sea, and sand in the past. We’re moving it to serenity, spirituality and sustainability. This way, we’re getting better quality and better impact on the local economy,” Uno said.
