With the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses around the world discovered several problems with transactions in face-to-face scenarios. They didn’t know how to speed up the process so that long lines wouldn’t form or prevent customers from touching surfaces handled by other customers and employees.
They also didn’t know how to prevent additional time wasted during the money exchange process. Many people entering a foreign country choose to pay in cash to reduce transaction fees but must exchange their currency to in-country currency via money exchangers before they can perform any transactions, including visa-on-arrival transactions at airports.
Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport, also known as Bali Airport, and the Indonesian Immigration Department believe that they have a solution to these problems. Bali Airport recently announced that it plans to streamline its current processes by removing cash from its visa payment acceptance options.
With this new solution, people arriving from international locations can pay for their visa at the airport using a debit bank card or a major credit card. According to Public Relations Coordinator Achmad Nur Saleh, who works under the General Director of Immigration, the new payment plan can streamline processes and guarantee that arrivals don’t have to pay any extra fees.
Some people in Indonesia consider this plan a stepping stone to more expansive cashless payment solutions. The Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies hopes that this might lead to e-visa applications and payments during flights before arrivals even reach the country.