News roundup: Indonesia seeks more Chinese tourists in 2024, plus other headlines

For PropertyGuru’s real estate news roundup, Indonesia aims to welcome 1 million to 1.5 million Chinese tourists in 2024. In other news, Laos has extended stays and allowed travel outside the point of entry for Thais using a border pass from 1st July to the end of the year. Lastly, the Philippine Human Settlements Department observed the private sector’s “growing confidence” in the administration’s housing program.

Indonesia looks to lure more Chinese tourists

Indonesia is looking to attract more Chinese tourists, aiming to welcome 1 million to 1.5 million Chinese tourists in 2024, according to Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno.

The minister said in VietnamPlus that he had invited Chinese tourism firms to intensify tour packages to Indonesia, particularly to super-priority destinations to promote the country’s natural advantages and cultural identities.

Speaking to the press and Chinese tourism firms in Shanghai on 28th June, the minister said besides Bali, Indonesia has promoted five super-priority destinations: Borobudur, Lake Toba, Likupang, Labuan Bajo, and Mandalika.

Laos allows Thai border pass holders to stay longer, go farther

Laos has extended stays and allowed travel outside the point of entry for Thais using a border pass from 1st July to the end of the year, to attract more tourists.

Thai visitors using a border pass or temporary border pass can now stay in Laos for 10 days, Bangkok Post reported. They can also travel to two adjacent provinces. Previously, stays have been limited to three days that had to be spent in the province of entry.

Thai border pass holders “must also use the services of a Lao tour company registered with the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism”.

The Thai embassy in Laos put up a link on its Facebook page for Thais to check on tour companies approved by the Lao ministry. It also said that the relaxed rules apply only until the end of December when the tourism promotion ends.

DHSUD cites Philippine private sector’s ‘growing’ confidence in the housing program

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has observed the private sector’s “growing confidence” in the administration’s flagship Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program (4PH).

DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said the entry of Megawide Construction Corporation to the 4PH project in Imus City, Cavite is an example of such confidence in the government’s housing program.

“Nakakataba ng puso ang tiwalang nakukuha ng 4PH sa ating pribadong sektor (The trust that the 4PH gets from the private sector is overwhelming). This clearly shows that we are on the right track in addressing the country’s housing need,” he said in a news release in PNA.

The Property Report editors wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].