INDONESIA is considering easing concert permits after international artists including Coldplay decided to hold longer concerts in neighbouring countries.

“How come Coldplay only chose to do one day here, and more than one day in other countries?” said Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno on Tuesday (Aug 1).

The overwhelming demand for Coldplay tickets led many Indonesians to look to Singapore, where the series of concerts were extended to six days, and even Japan to watch the show. But the band would only play for one day in South-east Asia’s biggest economy, which is known for its complicated licencing process. Taylor Swift skipped the country entirely, opting to perform in neighbouring Singapore.

Uno pledged to simplify the permit process by digitising it, with the pilot project set to launch in September. Instead of issuing the permits at the last minute, the government will ensure the licences are issued at least 21 days before an international event and 14 days before a national event.

Boosting the number of concerts could add 17 trillion rupiah (S$1.5 billion) to the economy, he added. Already, they are boosting digital loans in Indonesia. BLOOMBERG