Despite the introduction of a visa-free regime, arrivals from Russia to Indonesia declined by almost a third

Despite the introduction of visa-free travel for Russians to Indonesia in summer 2015, the demand for this destination has decreased by 20-30%, the press secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Industry Irina Turina reported to Interfax.

"Visa-free entry of Russians to Indonesia could not be a catalyst for demand. As tour operators stated, currency instability and the difficult financial situation of Russians result in reduce of sales by 20-30%. However, no one expected that the abolition of visas significantly stimulates the flow of tourists, because even before visa regime was a formality: tourists get a 30-day visa, paying $ 35 at the airport on arrival," Irina Tyurina said.

Indonesian destination this summer is dominated by queries of last minute, but it is difficult for tour operators to satisfy them due to lack of cheap flights. This is especially true for August, when large quantities of tourists are sent to Bali from Europe.

"The structure of bookings in Indonesia increased the number of low-cost 2- and 3-star hotels. At the same time expensive 5-star resorts also try to show their loyalty to the Russian customers. Some hotels offer discounts of up to 40%, but these measures have not been effective. Because of weakening of the ruble, Indonesia has risen by half compared with the last year," the head of Indonesian department of tour operator Vand Natalia Minorsky said.
 
However, tour operators are quite optimistic about the next winter season, expecting the number of tourists about the level of the last year. The Russian market is considered one of the priorities in Indonesia, in particular, because Russian tourists left more money than travelers from other countries. In 2014, Indonesia was visited by 89 thousand tourists from Russia.