Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA News) - Tourism operators in the Indonesian tourist resort island of Bali have hailed a plan to introduce a common visa within countries grouped in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"The implementation of the common visa within the region will benefit tourism industry operators," Chairman of the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association Ngurah Wijaya said here on Thursday.

He said the imposition of the common visa would enable a person to enter all countries in the region with a visa issued by one of the countries.

"Yet, the imposition of a common visa will correct slightly the growth in the use of visa on arrival," he said.

But Wijaya is of the view that the implementation of the common visa would benefit the tourism sector in Indonesia, particularly the Island of gods, Bali.

The government set 2.7 million foreign tourist arrivals in Bali of its national foreign tourist arrival target of 6.7 million in 2011.

He said that Bali`s tourism industry businesses said they supported the common visa plan. Moreover, many countries in the region, including Indonesia, now has open air transportation access which directly connect big cities in the region.

"There have been 17 main gates which connect big cities in ASEAN," he said.

In the meantime, Secretary General of the Indonesia Restaurant and Hotel Association (IRHA) for Bali Perry Markus said that the reduction of income from the visa on arrival as a result of the common visa policy could be solved with a multiple effect that would be created by the increasing number of visitors.

"We will maximize it," Perry said.

He said that the imposition of the common visa would increase boost the development of creative industry which has the potential to support the tourism industry.

The value of Bali`s creative industrial product exports in August 2011 reached US$51.94 million, up 8.85 percent from the previous month.

Source : http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/77672/tourism-operators-hail-common-visa-plan