RI tourism facing tough task in the future<\/p>\n
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Despite a full year of preparation, Indonesia's most prestigious
\nannual tourism event held here at the Jogja Expo Center (JEC)
\nfailed to attract more international buyers compared to the
\nprevious year.<\/p>\n
By its official close earlier last week, the organizing
\ncommittee of Tourism Indonesia Mart and Expo (TIME) 2005, or
\nPasar Wisata as it is also popularly known, had recorded the
\nparticipation of only 124 sellers from 16 provinces and 76 buyers
\nfrom 21 countries.<\/p>\n
Last year it had 147 sellers representing 20 provinces and 102
\nbuyers from 28 countries participating. Thus, there has been a
\nsignificant drop in the number of international buyers.<\/p>\n
\"I do feel it a bit emptier this year. Even today, only a few
\nbuyers are present. Many of them have already left for Kuala
\nLumpur for the PATA Travel Mart,\" Jogjakarta Plaza Hotel's public
\nrelations manager Yustianti Risnasari said.<\/p>\n
Risnasari was speaking on the last day of Pasar Wisata.
\nAlthough it was still around noon and the event would only be
\nofficially closed late in the afternoon, many of the booths were
\nvacant while only a few buyers were seen in attendance.<\/p>\n
The PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Travel Mart, which
\nopened in Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 27, or one day after the closing
\nof Pasar Wisata, was said to be one of the reasons why the number
\nof buyers at this year's TIME decreased significantly.<\/p>\n
As both tourism events were held at almost the same time in
\nthe neighboring countries, most of the buyers preferred to visit
\nthe PATA Mart and skipped TIME.<\/p>\n
This was not surprising as the PATA Travel Mart was always
\ngoing to be attended by a much greater number of buyers and
\nsellers.<\/p>\n
\"We thought originally that the proximity of the dates for
\nTIME and the PATA Travel Mart would help attract more buyers as
\nthey could visit both marts.\" said TIME 2005's Organizing
\nCommittee chairwoman, Meity Robot.<\/p>\n
In fact, this was one of the reasons why TIME 2005 was held
\nimmediately before the PATA Travel Mart. However, it turned out
\nthat most buyers preferred to go directly to the PATA Mart and
\nskip Pasar Wisata.<\/p>\n
\"It was not what we had expected,\" said Meity, adding that
\ncompetition with other marts in the region was making things
\ntougher for Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Other factors that contributed to the decrease in the number
\nof participating buyers, and also sellers, included the fact that
\nmore and more regions, including Surakarta (Central Java),
\nBandung (West Java), and Surabaya (East Java), were holding their
\nown tourism and travel marts following the rolling out of local
\nautonomy.<\/p>\n
Meity, however, said that the success of Pasar Wisata could
\nnot be just solely on the number of participating buyers. It was
\nalso important to look at the value of the business transactions
\nsealed during the event.<\/p>\n
TIME 2005 reported the sealing of business transactions worth
\nUS$ 13 million during the event, or the same value as last year.<\/p>\n
\"So, I personally consider that this year's TIME was still a
\nsuccess,\" said Meity, expressing the hope that the realization of
\nthe transactions would produce even greater value than the
\nestimates stated during the event.<\/p>\n
She also said that the decrease in the number of both buyers
\nand sellers at this year's TIME should not make the tourism
\ncommunity in the country feel disheartened or even discontinue
\nthe event in future years. Such feelings would provide no
\nsolutions to the problems.<\/p>\n
\"We have to go on with this. Otherwise, who else will organize
\nthe event?\" Meity asked.<\/p>\n
The success of TIME, she said, also needed the support and
\ncoordination of all the stakeholders in the tourism industry,
\nincluding governments and the private sector.<\/p>\n
The central government's decision to extend the number of
\ncountries eligible for the Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility, for
\nexample, was highly welcome and appreciated. However, she said
\nthat financial support for events like TIME was also needed.<\/p>\n
\"It took some US$2 million to hold TIME this year. Most of the
\nmoney, however, came from the private sector,\" said Meity,
\nwhile expressing the hope that the central government would allocate
\nsome funding for next year's TIME to show its seriousness in
\nrestoring the country's tourism industry.<\/p>\n
TIME 2006 will be held at the end of September next year in
\nMakassar, South Sulawesi, at the Celebes Convention
\nCenter\/Clarion Hotel Pettarani, which is still under construction
\nand is scheduled to open in June 2006.<\/p>\n
Makassar will be the first city in Eastern Indonesia to host
\nTIME. Since being held for the first time in 1994, TIME was
\nalways hosted by Jakarta and only moved to Yogyakarta last year.
\nLike Yogyakarta, Makassar is also scheduled to host TIME for two
\nconsecutive years.<\/p>\n
\"We are ready to host TIME next year. All the preparations
\nhave being made. We will even start do the marketing next week,\"
\nNico B. Pasaka, representing Makassar's local organizing
\ncommittee, told journalists at the TIME 2005's closing media
\nconference in Yogyakarta last week.<\/p>\n
Held every September under the coordination of the Indonesian
\nTourism Promotion Board (BPPI), TIME is aimed at improving the
\nimage of Indonesia as an attractive tourist destination on the
\ninternational market.<\/p>\n
Such efforts are important as the tourism industry is
\nvulnerable to various unanticipated shocks, ranging from health
\nscares to terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n
With last weekend's second round of Bali bombings, it is
\napparent that TIME 2006 will have a hard time attracting more
\ninternational buyers to the event.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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