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Indonesia top destination for digital nomads, but more may need to be done
Bali is top destination for remote work, with an estimate of around 80,000 digital nomads visiting the island on a monthly basis
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Travelers walk through the international arrivals hall at Ngurah Rai International Airport of Denpasar, Bali, Feb. 16, after a Singapore Airlines flight arrived following a nearly two-year break due to COVID-19. (AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)
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ndonesia is tapping into a growing number of “digital nomads” by launching a special digital nomad visa, but more needs to be done to attract and retain foreign visitors to the country, say tourism specialists.
Budijanto Ardiansjah, vice chairman of the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA), suggested the government improve infrastructure, including telecommunications, digital and social infrastructure.
“Tax exemptions for income from overseas, if it’s going to be implemented as part of the digital nomad visa plan, must also be considered to make remote working easier,” he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Digital nomads are travelers who use technology to perform their jobs and typically spend weeks or months abroad before returning home. Around 95 percent of surveyed digital nomads have said Indonesia is their “top of mind” destination for remote work and they are ready to travel, according to Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno.
“The digital nomad visa is in line to [help achieve] the target of 1.5 million foreign tourists to visit Bali,” he said in a weekly press briefing on June 27.
Digital nomad visa
Pauline Suharno, chairwoman of the Indonesian Travel Agents Association (Astindo), urged the government to ensure the smooth implementation of the special digital nomad visa as in practice, obtaining visas with official rates is often complicated, pushing foreign tourists to opt for intermediary services, which are more expensive.
