In the latest development for Indonesian tourism, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, has announced that two prominent Indian airlines, Vistara and Indigo Airlines, are poised to inaugurate direct flight routes from India to Bali.
Sandiaga added the allure for Indian tourists lies in the shared cultural affinities, the exquisite natural beauty of Bali, and the reassuring atmosphere of safety and comfort. Notably, a substantial portion of Indian visitors to Bali is motivated by the desire for matrimonial celebrations.
“There are currently no direct flights from India to Bali. However, Indian tourists are the second largest cohort, trailing only Australians, to explore the charms of Bali,” Sandiaga said yesterday in his weekly press briefing, highlighting the dearth of direct connectivity between the Indian subcontinent and Bali.
“India ranks as the second largest group of tourists entering Indonesia, trailing only Australia. They predominantly access the archipelago via gateways like Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore,” the top official added.
According to Kompas, Vistara’s direct service will ply the route from Delhi to Denpasar, with operations slated to commence from Dec. 1.
No official statements from Indigo yet for the direct flight between India and Bali. However, Indigo already has a connecting flight between Mumbai and Jakarta in a round-trip route, which was launched in August 2023.
Drawing attention to prior milestones, Sandiaga noted that Indonesia’s Batik Air had already initiated direct flights from Chennai to Kualanamu Airport in Medan.
Sandiaga was optimistic about the potential surge in foreign tourist footfalls, articulating that the introduction of direct flights from India to Bali is expected to add a substantial increase of 20-25 percent in international tourist arrivals.
