KL launches tourist drive in Indonesia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Malaysia has launched tourism promotions, the
\nfirst ever held, here and in Surabaya, East Java, to attract more
\ntourists.<\/p>\n
"Indonesia is one of our major tourist markets and we are
\nlooking for more tourists from the country in the coming years,"
\ndeputy director general of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board
\nKhairuddin Md. Sari told reporters yesterday.<\/p>\n
He said that he was in Indonesia with a delegation of some 40
\nhotel, travel and tourism representatives to promote his
\ncountry's tourist industry in the two cities between July 30 and
\nAug. 5.<\/p>\n
When asked about the promotion of tourism in Ligitan and
\nSipadan, two resort islands disputed by Indonesia and Malaysia,
\nKhairuddin said: "We are aware that talks on the two islands,
\nLigitan and Sipadan, are still going on, so there's no promotion
\non the islands."<\/p>\n
However, two booklets published by the board, which were
\ndistributed yesterday, promoted Sipadan as one destination in the
\nSabah tourist areas.<\/p>\n
According to Khairuddin, in the last two years, Malaysia's
\nfive major tourist markets comprised Singapore, Thailand, Japan,
\nTaiwan and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"The figure of our foreign tourist arrivals for 1994 was 7.2
\nmillion people, bringing some nine billion ringgit (US$4.2
\nbillion) in foreign exchange revenues," he said.<\/p>\n
Arrivals<\/p>\n
"Of the total tourist arrivals last year, 225,854 were from
\nIndonesia, spending some 218.9 million ringgit. The figure in
\n1994 was 20.8 percent higher than that in 1993. In the January-
\nApril period of this year, the number of Indonesian tourists
\nvisiting Malaysia reached 65,777, 19.6 percent higher than that
\nin the corresponding period of last year."<\/p>\n
He said that Malaysia, which expects some 7.9 million foreign
\ntourist arrivals this year, emphasizes three destinations in
\nattracting Indonesian tourists, including Pangkor, Malacca and
\nTaman Negara.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Dato' Dali Mahmud
\nHashim said yesterday that Malaysia and Indonesia have improved
\ncooperation in the tourism industry.<\/p>\n
"In 1993, there were only 61 flights per week from Indonesia
\nto Malaysia and the frequency increased to 66 in 1994 with a
\ntotal capacity of 9,027 seats," he said.<\/p>\n
The two countries are also involved in the development of sub-
\nregional cooperation in three growth areas -- the
\nSingapore-Johor-Riau, Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand and Brunei-
\nIndonesia-Malaysia-Philippines areas of growth, he said.<\/p>\n
"All of these growth areas will definitely contribute to both
\nour economic and social development. One of the important aspects
\nthat the countries are seriously considering is the travel
\nliberalization to improve on intra-ASEAN travels."<\/p>\n
This is the commitment to be taken by the respective countries
\nto ensure better economic growth, which will later create a
\nbigger opportunity in the tourism industry, he said. (icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kl-launches-tourist-drive-in-indonesia-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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