ASITA expands NTT tourism market through Makassar Business Matching
Kupang, NTT - The Indonesian Travel Agents Association (ASITA) of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is expanding the province’s tourism market through the Makassar Business Matching 2026, which brings together tourism entrepreneurs with buyers from the travel, corporate, education, and government sectors.
“Through this business forum, we are introducing destinations in NTT that can accommodate large numbers of tourists, official working visits, and similar activities,” said the Chairman of ASITA NTT, Oyan Kristian, when contacted from Kupang on Friday.
According to him, the event serves as an opportunity to introduce NTT destinations to potential business partners in need of tourism services for group travel, working visits, meetings, or corporate gatherings.
Makassar, South Sulawesi, was selected as a potential market because it serves as a hub for tourist movement from various regions in Eastern Indonesia.
During the event, AS_ITA NTT specifically promoted Labuan Bajo, Sumba, and Kupang as destinations possessing the facilities to host large groups, including support from hotels with adequate room capacities.
Oyan noted that the buyers encountered include not only travel agencies and tour operators but also event organisers, local governments, educational institutions, as well as local and multinational companies operating in Makassar.
He stated that the demand for local operators across various destinations in Eastern Indonesia presents an opportunity for NTT tourism players to expand their cooperation networks and attract tourists from South Sulawesi.
“If there are government groups planning working visits, or corporate groups looking for gatherings or company events, we can explain the availability of large hotels in NTT,” he said.
In addition to promoting destinations, Oyan also highlighted the air connectivity between Makassar and Flores, which can support tourist access from the Eastern Indonesian region to NTT.
Currently, direct flights are available from Makassar to Maumere and Labuan Bajo. However, the Makassar-Maumere route still faces challenges due to the activity of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, which can lead to flight cancellations.
Meanwhile, the direct Makassar-Labuan Bajo flight is considered a viable alternative to open access for tourists from Eastern Indonesia. However, Oyan mentioned that the limited number of airlines serving the route has resulted in high ticket prices.
“From Makassar to Labuan Bajo, you can fly directly without the usual transit through Bali or Surabaya. This is actually a good option to open an entry point from Eastern Indonesia,” he said.
Oyan also noted that the direct Makassar-Kupang flight, which was previously available, is no longer in operation. He suspects the discontinuation of the route is related to seat occupancy rates failing to meet targets.
The Makassar Business Matching 2026 is organised by the Ministry of Tourism from 8–10 September 2026 at the Aston Makassar Hotel & Convention Center. The event brings together sellers from several Eastern Indonesian destinations, including Manado, Gorontalo, Palu, Papua, NTT, North Maluku, and Morotai, with curated buyers.
The activity is aimed at strengthening business relationships between tourism industry players and potential markets, while simultaneously opening new collaboration opportunities to drive tourist movement to various destinations in Eastern Indonesia.