Jakarta. China is calling for more direct flight routes to Indonesia as a means to boost the tourism numbers of both countries.

Wang Ning, the visiting party secretary for China’s Yunnan province, called for the need to make tourist destinations more accessible through direct flights. This way, travelers do not need to change planes during their travels, whether to or from China.

“We should promote more direct flights that encompass popular tourist destinations in both countries. This will make the trips more efficient and boost comfort for our travelers,” Wang Ning told a conference in Jakarta on Thursday evening.

Wang Ning revealed that Yunnan -- an inland province that lies in Southwestern China -- had attracted almost 50,000 Indonesian tourists. Approximately 10,000 Yunnan travelers had come to Indonesia the same year. 

He added, “Indonesia boasts rich tourism potential thanks to its tropical scenery. …  Yunnan, too, has caught the attention of many foreign tourists. Not only do we have a panoramic view of tropical forests and snow-capped mountains, Yunnan is also home to various ethnic minorities, be it the Hani, Yi, Tai, or Miao people. Thanks to this cultural diversity, we are blessed with an array of local customs, songs, and dances.” 

Ni Made Ayu Marthini, a senior official at the Tourism Ministry, acknowledged how important connectivity was to garner more Chinese tourists. Indonesia was aiming to welcome 1.5 million Chinese travelers in 2024, but the Southeast Asian country missed the target and only recorded 1.2 million tourists. “It’s true that connectivity plays a pivotal role in boosting tourism numbers. So let us build that ‘bridge’,” Ni Made said.

In late March, Indonesia launched a direct flight route that would link China’s Guangzhou and East Java’s Surabaya. When President Prabowo Subianto met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping last November, the two leaders stated that they approved of companies’ efforts “to increase direct flights and destinations based on market demand”. Both Xi and Prabowo said they were "confident that two-way tourism will be restored to the pre-pandemic levels and even surpass them."