IndiGo airlines has launched its first flight to Indonesia with the opening of non-stop daily flight from Mumbai to Jakarta. The move has been welcomed by Indonesian Tourism Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno.

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno has welcomed the first direct flight between India and Indonesia after several years as the inaugural flight by India’s largest airline IndiGo from Mumbai is slated to land in Indonesian capital Jakarta later today. IndiGo has launched a daily direct flight between Mumbai and Jakarta, restoring direct connectivity between the two countries after several years.

“Connectivity is the key to increase the number of international tourist visits, and direct flight from India to Indonesia is long-awaited. This IndiGo flight is expected to attract more Indian tourists to visit Indonesia so that it can contribute to the increase of foreign exchange from the tourism sector and create more job opportunities,” says Salahuddin Uno.

According to a press statement by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, the landing of the IndiGo aircraft in Jakarta would mark the reopening of the direct flight route from India to Indonesia, which was inactive for four years.

In the press statement the ministry says that it believes that more airlines will open direct flights, considering numbers of Indian tourists have been consistently increasing, and Indonesia is one of the most favourite destinations due to its fascinating nature attractions and cultural similarities.

The statement adds that a grand welcome has been prepared for the arrival of the IndiGo’s inaugural flight at Terminal 2 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at Tangerang in Banten. The statement adds that the inaugural IndiGo flight 6E-1601 which departed from Mumbai at 07:55 will land in Jakarta at 16:10 where the passengers will be welcomed by the representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Tourism and Creative Economy Agency accompanied by Abang None Jakarta from DKI Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Office, and presented with a contemporary dance with traditional Betawi nuances presented by the West Jakarta Administrative City Culture Office.

The passengers will also get a giveaway and souvenirs of ‘Wonderful Indonesia’. As a series of tourism promotion programmes and to support the inaugural flight, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy in collaboration with IndiGo, will hold an online contest on social media for prospective international tourists from India.