To encourage more Singaporeans to visit the islands of Batam and Bintan, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism has worked with Indonesian tour agents to offer tour packages at more affordable prices.

Those travelling from Singapore to Batam, for example, will get discounted Batam Fast ferry tickets, at $20 instead of $48, if they sign up for one of 250 tour packages.

These packages, which include hotel promotions as well as spa and golfing promotions,will last till the end of the year.

The Indonesia's Tourism Ministry said it was also keen to attract Singaporean tourists to visit the islands from Mondays to Thursdays.

There will be a further discount on tour packages booked during these non-peak periods.

"The visitors who go on holiday to Batam, Bintan and Tanjung Pinang can really feel the excellent service, with affordable price and packages," the ministry said in a press statement yesterday.

Mr Rizki Handayani, director of promotion for South-east Asia at the Indonesian Tourism Ministry, said the government had worked with ferry operators and tour agencies to create these packages.

"As added value, tourists can also enjoy coffee and traditional snacks on the ferry," he said.

In August, The Jakarta Post reported Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya as saying it was targeting an additional 100,000 tourists to Bintan and Batam islands from Singapore and Malaysia with this tourism programme.

Bintan and Batam are part of the Riau Islands province in Indonesia, which saw a million tourists from Singapore last year.

Conversely, Singapore has been looking to grow its passenger traffic from Batam. In May, Changi Airport started shuttle buses between the Tanah Merah ferry terminal and the airport in a bid to woo Indonesians to use the airport as a gateway for international travel.