Govt eyes tourists from China, India, Mid-East<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post\/Bandung<\/p>\n
The government plans to boost promotion for the nation's
\ntourism abroad so as to lure more tourists, notably those from
\nChina, India and Middle East, Minister for Cultural and Tourism
\nAffairs Jero Wacik said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Jero said the government has set aside a budget of Rp 180
\nbillion for promotional purposes next year, or double the amount
\nallocated for 2004, reflecting the government's awareness of the
\nimportance of promotion.<\/p>\n
\"We want foreign tourists visiting our country to reach 10
\nmillion by 2009, which our estimates show could generate some Rp
\n100 trillion (US$10.1 billion) in total income,\" Jero said after
\nopening a tourism exhibition in Bandung, West Java.<\/p>\n
According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), foreign
\ntourist arrivals as of October stood at 3.8 million, or higher
\nthan the full-year overseas tourists in 2003, which stood at 3.69
\nmillion -- an early indication of the sector's continued recovery
\nfollowing the slump that resulted from the 2002 bombing in Bali.<\/p>\n
On average, some 5.5 million foreign tourists per year visited
\nthe country before the bombing, generating about $6 billion in
\nforeign exchange incomes.<\/p>\n
With the sector slowly improving, Jero said, the country was
\nseeking to promote tourism to new -- but largely untapped --
\npotential markets such as China, India and Middle East.<\/p>\n
To date, visitors from Japan, Australia and Europe have been
\nthe largest source of foreign tourists for Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"China, for instance, sends some 20 million of tourists across
\nthe world every year, but only some 80,000 of them -- or a tiny
\nfraction of them -- come to Indonesia,\" Jero said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-eyes-tourists-from-china-india-mid-east-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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