National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia plans to launch direct flights from Jakarta to Moscow in August 2017.

Operated by Airbus A330-200, this route will be served three times a week.

“We are trying to accelerate plans regarding the launch of direct flights to Moscow in August.

“We will fly three times a week using wide body aircraft Airbus A330-200,” said Garuda Indonesia president Arif Wibowo.

In accordance with the potential increase in tourist traffic between the two countries, the direct flight services to Moscow is expected to improve Russian tourist visits up to 100 thousand tourists in 2017.

Russian tourist arrivals to Indonesia in the first half of 2016 increased by 14 per cent.

In contrast, the number of Indonesian citizens visiting Russia is also quite large; in 2015 there were about 14,000 people.

Meanwhile, Russian ambassador to Indonesia Mikhail Yurievich Galuzyn expected the direct flight from Indonesia to Russia will further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in economics and tourism sector.

“Realisation of the direct flight plan between Russia and Indonesia has become one of our main priorities in the effort to increase the numbers of tourists visit to Russia,” said Galuzyn.

He expected potential tourists visit from Asia can be increase every year.