Tourism target questioned by experts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A meeting of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant
\nAssociation questioned the country's ability to attract the
\ngovernment's target of over 11 million tourists in 2005, spending
\nUS$15 billion.<\/p>\n
Two of University of Indonesia's economists, Sri Mulyani
\nIndrawati and Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, told yesterday's meeting
\nthat Indonesia should work tactfully to realize its target.<\/p>\n
The government has assigned an expert team from the University
\nof Indonesia, Jakarta, the University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta,
\nand the Bandung Institute of Technology. The team's job is to
\ncompile data and make strategies for the development of tourism
\nfor the next 15 to 20 years.<\/p>\n
Sri, who represents the team entitled Rippnas, said it has
\npredicted lower tourist arrival figures for the years 2000 and
\n2005.<\/p>\n
\"So far the country has used a projection prepared by the
\nEconomic Intelligence Unit, which estimates that the number of
\ntourist arrivals is likely to reach 7.8 million in 2000 and 11.1
\nmillion in 2005,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She said that Rippnas has projected its own targets according
\nto three categories: optimistic, moderate and pessimistic.<\/p>\n
Its tourist arrival predictions for 2000 are 6.82 million (an
\noptimistic projection), 6.55 million (moderate) and 5.85 million
\n(pessimistic). Its figures for 2005 are 10.67 million
\n(optimistic), 9.72 million (moderate) and 7.84 million
\n(pessimistic).<\/p>\n
\"I think the moderate figure is the more appropriate target,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
She also said that Rippnas thinks that the development of
\ntourism is \"economically viable, socially acceptable and
\nenvironmentally sustainable\".<\/p>\n
The government expects tourism to become the country's biggest
\nforeign exchange earner by the end of the Seventh Five Year
\nDevelopment Plan (Repelita VII) in 2004, outperforming the oil
\nand gas sector.<\/p>\n
Dorodjatun said there should be an alliance among Southeast
\nAsian countries to avoid a price war which would reduce profits.<\/p>\n
\"Remember the market in the future will be a buyers market,
\nnot a sellers market.\"<\/p>\n
He said the body which regulates and decides policies on
\ntourism must be stricter than the current ministry.<\/p>\n
\"I think the name of the coordinating minister for production
\nand distribution should be changed to the coordinating minister
\nfor production, distribution and tourism,\" he said. \"Or, just
\ncreate an independent ministry for tourism.\"<\/p>\n
The two-day discussion which will end today includes
\npresentations by executives of the Indonesian Tourism Promotion
\nBoard and the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association. They
\nare talking on ways to support tourism development for the
\nSeventh Five Year Development Plan period. (icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tourism-target-questioned-by-experts-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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