The Indonesian Consulate General office in Guangzhou, China, was expected to begin to provide visa services in April to Chinese tourists who want to visit Indonesia, the Bisnis Indonesia said Saturday.

Secretary of Ministry of Culture and Tourism Sapta Nirwandar said that through the new services it was expected more Chinese tourists to come into Indonesia.

"It is expected the number of Chinese tourists to come to visit Indonesia this year to double than last year," said Nirwandar.

He said that over 20 million Chinese people travel overseas every year but only some 80,000 of them come into Indonesia last year.

Some 5 to 6 million Chinese tourists from Guangzhou are predicted to travel overseas annually, he suggested.

(Xinhua News Agency March 26, 2005)