Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said it was in talks with several international airlines, such as Jetstar, Tiger Air and Air Asia. Air connectivity becomes one of the keys to success in reaching the target of 17 million foreign tourists this year. "I have targeted to AP II that 2019 Banyuwangi Airport has become an international airport. Use the momentum of IMF World Bank meeting in October to start that way, "he said at Terminal I D of Soekarno Hatta Airport, Thursday (15/2).

Banyuwangi Airport can also be an alternative parking for small aircraft that have been staying at Ngurah Rai International Airport Bali. Because the airport in Bali is considered too full by the plane. "My hope when Banyuwangi Airport has become international. Banyuwangi became the world's premier festival city. Tourists from Australia, southern China come to Banyuwangi, "he said. Meanwhile, President Director of PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) Muhammad Awaluddin stated that his party is ready to support government programs in increasing tourism in Bali.

"Since the operational transfer of Banyuwangi Airport to AP II, we have roadshow to several airlines in China. It is targeted that by 2019 Banyuwangi Airport will operate internationally, "he said. According to him, this year the company has budgeted capital expenditure amounting to Rp400 billion to expand the capacity of Banyuwangi Airport. The budget will be used to complete a 2,650 meter runway extension and apron expansion of up to 18,000 square meters. In a separate development, since Thursday (15/2) Citilink has served the first flight of Jakarta-Banyuwangi route, following its parent company Garuda Indonesia which opened the same route last year.

President Director of Citilink Indonesia Juliandra Nurtjahyo said Citilink as a strategic business unit (SBU) and functioned as one of the low-cost alternative flights in Indonesia, ready to support the Ministry of Tourism (Kemenpar) program in increasing tourist visits to Indonesia, "Today Citilink officially serves the Jakarta route -Banyuwangi. In the early stages one time a day, seven times a week. All Garuda Indonesia Group members have been serving this route so that passengers are expected to have more choice whether they fly with five-star airlines or four-star airlines, "he said.

The Ministry of Tourism noted that by 2017 the number of passenger arrivals at Banyuwangi Airport (formerly Blimbingsari) is 188,949 people or up 66.9% compared to 2016 of 113,153 passengers. Meanwhile, tourist arrivals to Banyuwangi last year reached 91,579 people and 4.7 million domestic tourists.