Jakarta. Belarus is pushing to launch direct flights to Indonesia following the two countries' reciprocal visa-free arrangement, aiming to boost tourism and strengthen business ties.

"We hope to open direct flights between Belarus and Indonesia. Of course, this will take considerable time and effort, but we will continue working toward it," Belarus Ambassador to Indonesia Raman Ramanouski said on the sidelines of the Food & Hospitality Indonesia (FHI) 2026 exhibition in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Ramanouski said stronger air connectivity is essential to increasing tourist arrivals in both directions and deepening people-to-people and business-to-business exchanges.

Indonesia began granting visa-free entry to Belarusian citizens on July 9 under Immigration and Corrections Ministerial Regulation No. 10/2026. The policy also applies to citizens of Turkey, Brazil, Peru, Kazakhstan, and Macau.

Belarus, meanwhile, has allowed Indonesian citizens to enter visa-free since 2017.

"The new regulation will further strengthen bilateral relations, both through people-to-people exchanges and business cooperation," Ramanouski said.

According to Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS), 10,455 visitors holding Belarusian passports traveled to Indonesia in 2025, with Bali remaining the most popular destination.

"We hope that as more Belarusians become familiar with Indonesia, more of them will be interested in visiting," he said.

Indonesia and Belarus established diplomatic relations in 1993 and have since expanded cooperation in trade, education, and tourism.

While the reciprocal visa-free arrangement has strengthened connectivity between the two countries, the lack of direct flights remains a major hurdle. Travelers still have to transit through third countries, such as the United Arab Emirates or Qatar. A nonstop route is expected to cut travel time and costs while supporting tourism, trade, and investment.