The Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) Windhoek in Namibia held a business meeting between Indonesian and Namibia travel agency companies. The meeting was virtually held on Monday (24/10), and attended by 3 Namibian travel agents namely Trip Travel, Rennies Travel and Satguru Travel and Tours as well as 7 travel agents from Indonesia namely KBA Tours, Bhara Tours, BMW Tours, Pacific World Nusantara, Melali Bali DMC, JOOi Indonesia and Wita Tours. Head of Information and Socio-Cultural Function of the Indonesian Embassy in Windhoek, Ari explained that the business meeting between Indonesia and Namibia travel agents aimed at facilitating business cooperation and promote Indonesia's leading destinations as well as conveying the latest immigration regulations of the Government of Indonesia which is expected to boost foreign tourist visits to Indonesia. Both Indonesia and Namibia consider the tourism sector is important because of their contribution on job creation and local and national revenue sources.
The business meeting was attended by Chairperson of the Namibia ANTA Travel Agency Association and the Chairperson of the Regional Leadership Council of the Association of Indonesian Travel Companies ASITA Bali. Both parties welcomed the business meeting organized by the Indonesian Embassy for bridging communication and opening up business opportunities. Chairman of the ASITA Bali Regional Leadership Council, I Putu Winastra pointed out that the business meeting is an opportunity to increase the tourism business in Bali. He also affirmed that the business meeting with the Namibian travel agents is a great opportunity for Bali tourism actors to expand the target market. ASITA invites Namibian tourism agents to take part in the Bali and Beyond Travel Fair in 2023.
Moreover, one of the Indonesian travel agent entrepreneurs from KBA Tour, I Ketut Sujata revealed that the business meeting is a good opportunity for his company to find work partners in Namibia because so far, travel agents from Indonesia have usually worked with travel agents from South Africa. Since the implementation of the latest immigration policy that allows the Indonesian Representative to issue a visit visa on September 23, 2022, the Indonesian Embassy has issued 5 visit visas. Jacky from Trip Travel also welcomes the new policy since after the Covid-19 pandemic and the high cost of issuing E-visas for tourists from Namibia, many potential tourists had to cancel their vacation to Indonesia. Even though Indonesia is the third favorite holiday destination for Namibian tourists after Mauritius and Thailand. Jacky hopes the new immigration policy will bring more tourists from Namibia to Indonesia.