Indonesia announced at Arabian Travel Market Dubai 2021 that preparations are underway to welcome international visitors this year.

Indonesia announced it is looking to partially re-open its borders to international visitors. The announcement was made at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Dubai 2021, the leading global event for the Middle East's inbound and outbound travel industry.

On behalf of the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia (MoTCE), Deputy Minister for Tourism Marketing, Mrs. Nia Niscaya, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Republic of Indonesia and Emirates Airlines during ATM 2021. The Cooperation aims to boost marketing activities overseas, especially in Dubai.

In total, 20 Indonesian destinations took part onsite. Based on a questionnaire submitted by 100 Indonesian co-exhibitors, 606 bookings were made during the 4-day show in Dubai from 16-19 May 2021 and 2.443 bookings in Bali during the ATM Dubai Virtual event from 24-26 May 2021. These two events -- were complementary and allowed exhibitors to reach a broader audience to ensure no one misses out.

A New Dawn for Travel and Tourism

The theme of this year's show is 'A New Dawn for Travel and Tourism'. The spotlight would be focuses on how the latest 'COVID' news worldwide is likely to affect international tourism in 2021 and beyond.

Sixty-two countries joined the exhibition floor this year, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Germany, Cyprus, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, the Maldives, the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico and the U.S. In comparison, while 140 countries participated in the virtual event.

In participating in a global travel market in the pandemic era, Indonesia demonstrates its firm commitment to CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety and Environment Sustainability) implementation by focusing on health and safety protocols at destinations and the Indonesia Pavilion in the Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

Middle East travelers have long been a key market for Indonesian tourism destinations. In 2019, the Middle East recorded a significant increase in visitors' arrivals to Indonesia, registering 263,923 visitor (27,88% higher than 2018).

"By participating in ATM Dubai 2021, outbound tourism's leading global event, we are demonstrating that Indonesia is confident of maintaining its position as a world-class destination," said Mrs. Nia Niscaya, Deputy of Minister for Tourism Marketing.

Plans to re-open borders in July

His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, announced plans to re-open borders in July 2021, with destinations including Bali, Batam and Bintan serving as 'locomotive' regions to kickstart tourism for the whole country - if the pandemic is handled as well as expected.

In preparation, the government has carried out a widespread vaccination program for targeted groups, including the tourism workforce. In addition, the government has also initiated the Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability (CHSE) certification program throughout the tourism sector in Indonesia.