Indonesia travel mart on schedule<\/p>\n
By I. Christianto<\/p>\n
NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Following the Bali Travel Mart here from
\nJune 22 to June 26, Indonesia will hold the annual Travel
\nIndonesia Mart & Expo (TIME) for the sixth time in September as
\nscheduled.<\/p>\n
TIME's steering committee chairwoman Meity Robot said on
\nThursday the event would be held from Sept. 21 to Sept. 25 at the
\nJakarta Convention Center.<\/p>\n
\"TIME was successfully held last year although Indonesia was
\nfacing the economic crisis and the downturn in politics and
\nsecurity. Now, TIME 1999 is a big challenge for Indonesia to
\nprove the country's stability.\"<\/p>\n
She believed the event would be as successful as previous
\nyear.<\/p>\n
As an annual event, TIME is popular among international
\ntourist businesses and listed on the international tourism
\ncalendar of events.<\/p>\n
Meity said 60 percent of 250 targeted buyers and 65 percent of
\nan equal number of targeted sellers were registered as of last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
\"Registered buyers are from the Netherlands, India, Spain, the
\nUnited States, Finland and France. Sellers are from Jakarta, West
\nJava, Central Java, Bali, Lombok and West Sumatra.\"<\/p>\n
She said that buyers from new markets including eastern Europe
\nand the Middle East also were expected to participate in the
\nevent.<\/p>\n
\"This year, we'll introduce a new theme emphasizing tourism
\nproduct development which concerned with the environment. Product
\ndevelopment with an emphasis on the environment is regarded as
\nvery important as the future of tourism depends on the
\nsustainability of the environment.\"<\/p>\n
She said TIME 1999 would feature Komodo as a special
\nattraction.<\/p>\n
Komodo Island in eastern Indonesia is a world heritage site
\nand home to the Komodo Dragon, the world's largest reptile.<\/p>\n
\"A seminar also has been prepared focusing on heritage
\nconservation. The discussion will center on the ocean, coral
\nreefs and fish diversity,\" Meity said.<\/p>\n
A member of the steering committee, Feisol Hashim, reiterated
\nthat TIME would not compete with the Bali Travel Mart, also an
\nannual event.<\/p>\n
\"Anything you do has an impact. I won't be surprised if there
\nare some buyers at the Bali Travel Mart. But the two events are
\ncomplementary, and even the main sponsor is the same, Garuda
\nIndonesia.\"<\/p>\n
He said the two events would probably be held over a longer
\nspread of time.<\/p>\n
TIME is a collaboration between the Indonesian Tourism
\nPromotion Board (ITPB) and the capital administration.<\/p>\n
According to Feisol, who is also an ITPB executive, the
\norganization has hired PT Pacto Convex, a private convention
\norganizer, to handle the event since ITPB is broke and saddled
\nwith a US$18 million debt.<\/p>\n
Pacto's managing director Susilowati Daud said that she was
\noptimistic that TIME 1999 would be profitable.<\/p>\n
\"We are targeting a gain of about Rp 250 million
\n(approximately $36,200) this year,\" she said, adding that the
\namount would be split equally between her company and ITPB.<\/p>\n
Last year, ITPB earned Rp 30 million in profit from the event.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-travel-mart-on-schedule-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }