Bali to host tourism conference

JAKARTA (JP): The World Tourism Organization is to hold a worldwide conference in Bali this September, focusing on the participation of local administrations and parliaments in developing national tourism industries.

The secretary-general of the organization, Antonio E. Savignac, said yesterday that the event, scheduled for Sep. 24- 27, will be opened by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Wahono.

"Wahono has accepted our invitation to inaugurate the event which will involve participants from all the members of World Tourism Organization," he said after meeting with Wahono at the House speaker's office.

"Wahono said he feels that we need to get legislators more informed of the problems of tourism, the many possibilities of tourism development, and the type of legislation which would encourage and orient the development of tourism in a healthy way," Savignac said.

Savignac, who was yesterday accompanied by Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave, met earlier with President Soeharto to discuss the role of Indonesia in the World Tourism Organization.

The Madrid-based organization groups 130 nations and some 300 individual parties. Bali hosted the organization's annual conference in 1994.

Savignac, who was here for a three-day visit, said after attending a party hosted by Joop on Sunday evening that Indonesia has shown tremendous growth in its tourist industry.

Last year's growth of dollar revenues from the tourist industry in Indonesia was the largest worldwide. Indonesia has made developing tourism one of its top priorities, Savignac said.

He said that Indonesia is one of the few countries which is committed to developing the tourism sector.

"Nusa Dua, the area which has been developed as an integrated tourist resort in Bali, is the unique example," he said.

Such development has also benefited the labor market, he said. "The Indonesian government has also created thousands of jobs for the people in the tourist industry."

Last year the country played host to 4.3 million foreign tourists, spending some US$5.2 billion. Some 5.5 million foreign tourists are expected to visit the country this year, bringing in some $6.9 billion. (icn)