LOMBOK STRUGGLING TO REGAIN ITS SHINE

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 15 (Antara) - The Lombok Island of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province, which has been crowned to become a new Bali, the country's most popular tourist resort province, is now struggling to regain its tourism glimpse.          The government has been developing the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (KEK) in Central Lombok District as an icon of NTB's economic and tourism development.          According to Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the total investment for the development of the Mandalika KEK reached more than Rp17 trillion. "We have a total investment of Rp17 trillion for the development of Mandalika," President Director of PT ITDC Abdulbar M Mansoer noted in Mandalika last month (Nov 18).           The investment is expected to boost the development of Lombok, especially Mandalika, so that the island would regain its tourism shine after it was struck by a series of earthquakes measuring between 6 to 7 on the Richter scale during the July and August period.

INDONESIA POISED TO BECOME WORLD'S BEST HALAL TOURISM COUNTRY

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 12 (Antara) - Muslim tourists are a potential segment of the global tourism where in 2017, a total of 131 Muslim tourist arrivals were recorded globally, or up from 121 million in 2016.          It is estimated that by 2020, the total number of Muslim tourist arrivals across the world is expected to reach 156 million per annum, a figure that has the potential to advance the tourism of a country.         As a predominantly Muslim country, with a population of 265 million, Indonesia, therefore, is eager to attract Muslim tourists by creating halal tourism programs.         Indonesia's Tourism Minister Arief Yahya is therefore developing halal tourism destinations and has set a target to attract five million foreign tourist arrivals of the halal tourism segment in 2019, or about 25 percent of the foreign tourist arrival target set at 20 million in 2019.

ACEH PROMOTES SABANG AS ITS TOURISM ICON

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 29 (Antara) - Aceh is one of Indonesia's 34 provinces rich in tourism potentials which could be promoted as a popular foreign tourist destination in the western part of the country.          Aceh tourism objects are no less interesting than those of other cities in Indonesia. Despite the heartbreaking history of the tsunami in late 2004, the natural disaster has even added to the attraction of visitors to get closer to nature and the city of Aceh.          Famous for its natural beauty and beaches, Aceh is flanked by both Indian Ocean and Malacca Straits. The sensational beauty often attracts tourists to visit the place again. There are not only beaches but also many other places that are also interesting to visit and admire.          The government continues to improve facilities and infrastructure in all tourist areas in an effort to make the guests comfortable. There are hundreds of tourism destinations in Aceh province, consisting of 426 natural tourism sites, 268 cultural tourism areas, and 114 special interest tourism places.          Among the interesting tourism destination is Sabang. Visitors can swim, snorkel, or dive in Sabang and encounter an amazing variety of sea creatures, from the colorful dory fish and the playful dolphin to the majestic whale shark. Sabang can be the icon of Aceh tourism.

NTB TO PROMOTE ITS HALAL TOURISM DURING IMF-WB MEETING

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 2 (Antara) - West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province is eager to attract as many foreign tourists as possible through its halal tourism program.              Being one of the 10 regions the government is developing as halal tourism destination regions, NTB is therefore setting sights on the International Monetary Fund-World Bank (IMF-WB) annual meeting in Bali to promote halal tourism.               The IMF-WB annual meetings, which will take place in Nusa Dua Bali from Oct 8 to 14 and will be attended by around 17,000 invitees from 189 countries, are potential forums for NTB to promote its tourism, particularly delegates who come from countries grouped in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).              Many of the delegates are also expected to take the opportunity to bring members of their families to holiday in Bali and other places in Indonesia.              NTB is one of the 10 provinces being developed as halal tourist destination regions, which comprise six provinces or special regions in Java (Banten, Jakarta, West Java, and Central Java, in addition to Yogyakarta and East Java), two in Sumatra (West Sumatra and Aceh), one in Kalimantan (South Kalimantan) and one in Nusa Tenggara (West Nusa Tenggara/NTB).              Amid Indonesia's intensive promotion over the development of halal tourism, NTB is doing its best to attract tourists from Muslim nations, particularly countries in the Middle East.

ALL OUT EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO ACHIEVE TOURIST TARGET

 By Andi Abdussalam

    Jakarta, July 31 (Antara) - Indonesia is rich in tourism potentials as it has more than 17 thousand islands and 99 thousand kilometers of white sandy coastal lines which offer attractive sun bathing and marine tourism.

         Besides, the country which also offers a beautiful landscape is also rich in local cultures as it has more than one thousand tribes and 300 ethnic groups. With these potentials, the government is confident that it could boost its tourism development and attract a great number of foreign tourist arrivals.

         Thus, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) since the onset of his government has set a gradual increase of foreign tourist arrivals from 9.4 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2019.

         The government was able to meet its targets of 10 million in 2015 and 12 million in 2016. Yet, in 2017 the arrivals of foreign tourists in the country were recorded at only 14.04 million, lower than the targeted 15 million.

        This year, the government must work all out to reach its target of 17 million foreign tourist arrivals and its target of 20 million arrivals next year.

TERRORIST ATTACKS YET TO AFFECT TOURISM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 17 (Antara) - The attack incidents by terrorists in Indonesia in recent days have yet to affect the tourism industry in the country.          According to Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, no foreign tourists has cancelled plan to visit Bali, the country's most popular tourist resort province.          A series of suicide bomb attacks on certain targets has taken place at three churches in Surabaya, on Sunday (May 13) followed by another suicide attack on the regional police headquarters in the East Java provincial capital on Monday.          The Surabaya suicide bombings left 22 people dead, including 10 terrorists. On Wednesday, May 16, another terrorist attack happened at Riau Police Headquarters. Four terrorists were shot dead, however.         Will these terror acts affect Indonesian tourism? Tourism analyst Chusmeru of Puwokerto's University of Jenderal Soedirman, said that the tourism sector is a service industry which is very sensitive to security disturbance.         "The tragedy of bomb terror, for example, could have an impact on the tourism sector in the country, given the service industry is sensitive to security issues," he said in Purwokerto on Wednesday.

TORAJA READIES TO OFFER UNIQUE ATTRACTIONS TO IMF-WB DELEGATES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 31 (Antara) - South Sulawesi's Toraja tourist resort region is gearing up to offer a unique experience to thousands of delegates arriving to attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-World Bank (WB) annual meetings in Bali in October.     The Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (Asita) has continued to strengthen coordination with the local governments of the districts of Tana Toraja and North Toraja in the face of the IMF-WB annual meetings.         Toraja, or also often called Tana Toraja, is one of the scenic regions comprising two districts in South Sulawesi. From afar, one can spot the jagged ridges of the hill stretching side by side along the slopes of the mountains.         Moreover, one can also enjoy the sights of valleys, with bamboo and sugar palms, and traditional houses with curved roofs among the paddy fields, beautiful and naturally carved and colored by the skillful people of Toraja.           Hence, Head of the South Sulawesi branch of Asita Didi L. Manaba remarked in Makassar on Saturday (Mar 31) that his side had met the governments of the two districts to optimize the various concepts or destination programs to be offered to members of the IMF-WB delegations to visit Toraja's tourism destinations.

IMF-WB MEETINGS EXPECTED TO YIELD TOURISM BENEFITS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 29 (Antara) - The International Monetary Fund-World Bank (IMF-WB) annual meetings, expected to attract 15 thousand delegates, investors, observers, journalists, and other foreign guests, is a major event that will offer significant tourism benefits.          Hence, the Indonesian government, particularly the Ministry of Tourism, is making all-out efforts to finalize preparations and to promote its tourism in the run-up to the international event to take place for about a week in the Indonesian tourist resort province of Bali next October.          The organizing committee has estimated that four thousand official delegates of the levels of ministers and Central Bank governors as well as officials from 189 member countries of the IMF and World Bank will attend the meeting.          Some five thousand investors, one thousand observers, 1,500 IMF and World Bank employees, thousands of businesspersons, and one thousand journalists are also expected to participate in the IMF-WB annual meetings. The peak of the event will take place on Oct 12-14, but business discussions and talks on the sidelines of the meeting will be held on Oct 8-14.

GARUDA GOES ALL OUT TO BRING TOURISTS HOME

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 24 (Antara) - Indonesia's national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is going all out to fly international tourists, particularly from India, China, and others countries, as part of its effort to help boost the country's tourism.         China and India are the second and third largest foreign tourist supplier countries to Indonesia after Australia. As Bali is Indonesia¿s popular tourist resort island, Garuda Indonesia is seeking direct flights from Denpasar (provincial capital of Bali) to other parts of China and India.         For example, Garuda will increase the frequency of its direct flight for the Shanghai-Denpasar route of China starting from May 2, 2018, and Mumbai-Denpasar route of India starting from April 23, 2018.         The flights will be serviced twice a week, namely Monday and Thursday at 15:40 local time, with a flight time of about seven hours. The state-owned carrier plans to increase the schedule to thrice a week after the inaugural flight in May 2018.

GOVT GOES ALL OUT TO DOUBLE FOREIGN TOURIST ARRIVALS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 22 (Antara) - The government, under President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), is resolved to advance the country's tourism sector by setting a target to increase foreign tourist arrivals by about 100 percent in five years in 2019.          The administration of Jokowi, who assumed the presidency in Oct 2014, has set the target of annual foreign tourist arrivals at 20 million in 2019 from 9.4 million in 2014.          Starting its tourism program in 2015, Jokowi's government set a tourist arrival target of 10 million in 2015 and succeeded to exceed the target, with 10.4 million tourists visiting the country that year.          In the following year, it was also successful in exceeding the 12 million target by recording arrivals of 12.02 million tourists based on data of the Tourism Ministry. Yet, the Central Bureau of Statistics noted that the number of foreign tourist arrivals in 2016 was only 11.52 million.          However, last year, the government failed to meet its 15 million visit target as it only booked 14.04 million foreign tourist arrivals.          Now, it has to work hard and make all-out efforts to meet its target of 17 million tourists this year and 20 million next year.

BALI HOTELS GEAR UP FOR CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR FESTIVITIES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 23 (Antara) - Hotels in the tourist resort island of Bali are gearing up to welcome visitors with special offers in the run-up to the Christmas and year-end festivities following the eruption of Mount Agung late last month.         Bali is Indonesia's largest popular foreign tourist destination, contributing over 40 percent to the country's foreign tourist arrivals. Last year, Bali had attracted 4.92 million foreign tourists to the country's total foreign tourist arrivals of 12.02 million.         Over four million tourists have visited Bali in the first eight months of 2017, an almost 120 percent year-on-year increase. Hence, Bali is the main asset for the government's efforts to increase the number of foreign tourist visits.         The country is projected to further invest in infrastructure, including the construction of the Benoa Cruise Ship Terminal in Bali, to surpass the target of 20 million foreign tourists by the start of 2020. It promises steady market growth, which is why the government is serious in its efforts to provide security and comfort to the tourists.         However, Mount Agung's eruption in late November will undeniably have an impact on Bali's tourism.

BELITUNG OFFERS BUDGET-FRIENDLY YEAR-END TOURISM TRIPS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Nov 2 (Antara) - Belitung Island is offering discounted year-end trips to Singaporean citizens to boost the number of foreign tourist arrivals on the island that has merely received some 15-20 thousand foreign visitors annually.          Belitung Island, which is part of the Bangka Belitung Province, will offer a round-trip ticket costing 125 Singaporean dollars and $101 for a one-way trip.          "A ticket price of $125 for a round trip will be offered during Dec 15-22 and at $101 for a one-way trip, while a round-trip ticket during the period between Dec 24 and Jan 5 will be sold at $150 and a one-way ticket will cost $111," Commercial Director of NAM Air Sriwijaya Air Group Franky Gan noted in Singapore on Wednesday.          Gan made the remarks during a "Sales Mission" held in Singapore to promote Belitung's tour packages. The tour packages are offered for chartered flights operating on the Singapore-Tanjung Pandan, Belitung, route.          The tourism promotion event was attended by 30 players from the tourism industry in Singapore in addition to Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs of the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore Sigit S. Widiyanto, Belitung District Head Sahani Saleh, East Belitung Vice District Head Burhanudin, Expert Staff of the Minister of Air Transportation Affairs Robert Daniel W, and Commercial Director of NAM Air Sriwijaya Air Group Franky Gan.

INDONESIA VIGOROUSLY PROMOTING ITS '10 NEW BALI'

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 11 (Antara) - Considering that Bali is the country's most popular tourism icon, the Indonesian government has now come up with the concept of "10 New Bali."     The idea is that besides Bali, there are many other regions in Indonesia, which are equally, if not more, attractive.          The Indonesian government has described these 10 tourist destinations as "New Bali," as it is convinced that these destinations would be as pleasing and attractive as Bali.          The government is intensively promoting these tourist destinations overseas, including in China and Germany. In Frankfurt, the government showcased these new tourist destinations as convenient places to organize the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) program.          Recently in China, the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) promoted the so-called "10 New Bali" at the Grandview Mall in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.          The Consulate General of Guangzhou revealed this in a press release received in Jakarta on April 28.          The Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia had conducted a direct promotional program to showcase Indonesia's tourism potential at a leading mall in Guangzhou, so that local Chinese people could be given a glimpse of the tourism opportunities in Indonesia, especially the concept of "10 New Bali," which are tourist spots currently being developed on a priority basis by the government.

RI NEEDS MORE DIRECT FLIGHTS TO LURE FOREIGN TOURISTS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 10 (Antara) - As an island nation rich in natural bounty and cultures, Indonesia has extraordinary tourism potential to increase the arrivals of foreign tourists.          Yet its tourism development is still behind those of neighboring countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.          Hence, the government is committed to advance the country's tourism by developing 10 major tourist destinations. In addition, Indonesia, which was visited by about 12 million foreign tourists in 2016, has set a target to attract some 15 million foreign tourist arrivals this year and about 20 million by 2019.          However, the government has to provide better transportation facilities, including direct flights from tourist potential countries, to reach tourism destinations in different regions, apart from popular destinations  such as Bali and Yogyakarta.          Moreover, Indonesia still needs some 2 million more flight seats to meet its target of 15 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2017.          "We need 2 million more seats this year. We cannot compete with Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam (in attracting) Chinese tourists. We do not have direct flights from India, and from China, we have only three or four (direct flights)," Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said on Friday (April 7).

NTB INTENSIVELY DEVELOPING ITS TOURISM SECTOR

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 24 (Antara) - The tourist resort area of Mandalika in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), is one of the 10 tourist destinations in the country that has been accorded priority for development by the government.          The regional government is using Mandalika to serve as a catalyst for the development of tourism in NTB Province, and to realize this, the province needs adequate financing sources.          Hence, the NTB chapter of the Financial Service Authority (OJK) has urged banks to increase their credit provisions for the development of tourism infrastructure in the province and to tap its tourism potential.          Although credits provided by banks to the tourism industry have increased from 2.95 percent in 2015 to 3.25 percent in 2016, the proportion of credits for the tourism sector is still small as compared to the tourism potential of the province, OJK Chief for NTB Yusri had stated in Mataram recently.          The amount of credit extension in the country in 2016 had amounted to Rp31.55 trillion, up by 29.98 percent from that in the previous year. The growth was the highest in the past five years. The portion of credits provided in NTB in 2016 also increased from 44.43 percent in 2015 to 50.91 percent in 2016.

INDONESIA ATTENDS RISHIKESH FESTIVAL TO ATTRACT INDIAN TOURISTS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 8 (Antara) - Indonesia considers India as one of the potential market for promoting its tourism and to attract as many tourists as possible from that country.          Hence, when India organized the world's biggest International Yoga Festival (IYF) in Rishikesh from March 1 to 7, 2017, Indonesia did not want to lose the opportunity and sent its promotional campaign team.          Through its participation in the festival, the Ministry of Tourism expected to attract more Indian tourists this year. After all, the number of Indian tourists to various parts of the world reached some 22 million every year, of which only about 1.5 percent visit Indonesia.          Through its participation in the week-long Yoga festival, Indonesia hopes to attract at least 546 thousand Indian tourists this year.          "In 2016, the number of Indian tourists visiting Indonesia was recorded at 376,802. The number increased by 28 percent compared to that in 2015. India is one of the potential markets that need to be explored. A total of 22 million Indians make an overseas trip every year, but only about 1.5 percent of them visit Indonesia, "Deputy Secretary of International Tourism Marketing Development of the Ministry of Tourism, Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani, was quoted by Kompas.com as saying on Sunday (March 5).

KING SALMAN'S VISIT PROMOTES INDONESIAN TOURISM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 5 (Antara) - In the tourism sector, Indonesia can benefit from the visit of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud in the country: attracting Saudi investment and increasing Middle-East tourist arrivals.          So far, Indonesia has not succeeded in exploiting the Middle East market. It is only a small market for the country's tourism, but the historical visit  is expected to serve as an effective promotion for the country.           The visit is also expected to attract Saudi investment in tourism apart  from other sectors, such as oil, gas, and public housing. According to Tourism Minister Arief Yahya,  Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in participating in the development of the tourism sector, notably  in West Sumatra and West Nusa Tenggara provinces.         "They have shown interest in West Nusa Tenggara and West Sumatra. This is our opportunity to continue to lobby the Middle East investors that are members of King Salman's delegation," the minister said referring to the current visit of King Salman in Indonesia from March 1 to March 9, 2017.

SAUDI KING'S VISIT TO BOOST BALI'S TOURISM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 25 (Antara) - Tourism operators and observers hailed the planned visit of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud to Indonesia, especially his one-week vacation plan in the Indonesian tourist resort island of Bali.          King Salman and his entourage of about 1.5 thousand people, including 10 ministers and 25 princes, will arrive in Jakarta on Mach 1 for a state visit until March 3, and will then head to Bali for a vacation until March 9, 2017.          With about 1.5 thousand royal family members, ministers, and princes; and four Boeing B747s of 400 and 200 series, two Boeing B777, and two C-130 Hercules, the Saudi King's visit is a big boost to Indonesia's tourism, particularly Bali.          "Certainly, this visit will promote Bali's tourism in the Middle East. The king's holiday in Bali would inspire not only others from Saudi but also businessmen from other Middle East countries to visit Bali," Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Chairman for Bali Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati remarked in Denpasar, Bali, on Saturday.          Sukawati remarked that the king and his entourage from the oil-rich country will stay at numerous luxury hotels in Nusa Dua, Badung District. "This will serve as an opportunity for Bali to promote its tourism given the fact that so far the arrival of tourists from the Middle East countries is still insignificant.

RIF, "BLEISURE" EXPECTED TO BOOST TOURISM

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 18 (Antara) - Indonesia needs to formulate an integrated strategy to offer business and leisure (bleisure) services in order to increase investment and boost the development of its tourism sector.          According to Christina L. Raudatin, a meeting, incentive, conference, and exhibition (MICE) researcher, Indonesia has the potential to develop its tourism using the bleisure concept, as the country has prospective supporting resources.          Developing tourism by applying this concept can help the country attract investment in the tourism sector. Essentially, investment in the tourism sector is still low, with last year's total recorded value reaching only Rp15 trillion.          Chief of the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Thomas Lembong revealed on Friday (Feb 17) that in the last five years, the tourism sector's contribution to the total investment reached solely about 2.2 percent, or Rp51.2 trillion of the total investment in the country.          Hence, the BKPM will focus on highlighting the country's investment potential through the Regional Investment Forum (RIF). It will promote the country's tourism potential and its supporting infrastructure.          In a press statement on Friday, the BKPM head announced that his office will hold the RIF in Nusa Dua, Bali, on February 23, 2017, to promote investment in the tourism sector and its supporting infrastructure.

GOVT SETS GRADUAL INCREASES TO ATTRACT 20 MILLION TOURISTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 9 (Antara) - President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi's) administration has set a target of attracting 20 million foreign tourist arrivals in the country by 2019, that is, by the end of his term in office.          To meet this target, since the beginning of his administration in October 2014, he has established policies that led to a progressive increase in foreign tourist arrivals while continuing to promote the country's tourism attractions both at home and abroad.          The government aggressively develops the country's tourism by promoting different activities such as Sail Indonesia, sports tourism, and cultural events, and by developing 10 major tourist destinations in addition to the already popular tourist resorts such as Bali and the Buddhist Temple of Borobudur in Java.          Based on the success of its efforts to intensively develop Indonesia's tourism potential, the government is convinced it will achieve its target of 20 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2019.          Starting its tourism program in 2015, Jokowi's government set a tourist arrival target of 10 million in 2015, up from the 9.4 million arrivals of foreign tourists recorded in 2014.