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Govt called on to implement free-visa policy for Timor Leste
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Visitors sightsee at Kelimutu Lake, Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, on March 31. Located 54 kilometers from the east of Ende City, the lake is known for its periodically changing colors. (ANTARA FOTO/Rivan Awal Lingga)
T
he East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Tourism and Creative Economy Agency has called on the government to implement a visa-free policy with neighboring country Timor Leste.
“We have requested that the Indonesian and Timor Leste governments work together in relation to a visa-free policy to ease travel between both countries,” the agency head, Timur Marius Ardu Jelamu, told Antara news agency on Friday, adding that the government had applied the policy to 169 countries that were mostly Western but not for Timor Leste that already had a direct border with NTT.
"Presently, if we want to go to Timor Leste, we have to apply for a regular visa with a certain fee," he added.
(Read also: Dozens of Malaysian cardiologists to join Tour de Timor)
Marius said the number of travelers crossing from the Mota’ain border gate in Belu could reach up to 100 people per day with further increases possible, especially during religious holidays. "Implementation of the visa-free policy can positively impact relations and cooperation between the two countries in many sectors as a result of easing mobility."
In the tourism sector, for instance, Marius said the policy would helped increase the number of tourists from Timor Leste to NTT. "We are currently establishing tourism cooperation with Timor Leste and Australia, which includes plans to open direct flights between Kupang, Dili and Darwin," he said. (kes)
