Bali Travel Mart opens with optimism
By I. Christianto
KUTA, Bali (JP): Indonesia is set to launch a series of promotional programs to reinvigorate a tourist industry which has been mired in a slump for the past two years, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Marzuki Usman said after opening the Bali Travel Mart (BTM) here on Tuesday.
"Last year we saw only 4.6 million visitors. This year we predict we will welcome some 5 million. In the year 2000, we estimate that number will reach 6 million," he said.
Indonesia enjoyed 20 percent annual growth in tourist arrivals before the economic crisis hit the country in mid-1997, followed by a political crisis and sectarian and tribal violence in several areas in Java, West Kalimantan and Maluku.
Marzuki told those attending the trade fair that the country was now a safe destination for tourists.
"We have entered the era of democracy and the general election ran peacefully and fairly without any violence as many had feared," he said.
The opening ceremony, which was attended by Bali Governor I Dewa Made Baratha, was held at Kuta Center near the island's famed Kuta Beach. Attendees at the event were entertained by traditional Balinese music and dances.
Travel industry executives expressed confidence that effective promotion could help the country's tourist industry post a quick recovery.
An executive at PT Aerowisata, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, Netty Djohan Kalalo, said the government had taken the right step in joining forces with the private sector to re-establish the image of Indonesia as a tourist destination by holding the Bali Travel Mart.
"As part of the travel-related industry, Aerowisata will participate in rebuilding the country's good image," she said, adding that Bali was the right location to host the event.
She said Bali was the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia and "therefore BTM would be an effective promotion because buyers are going to come here to look at the situation themselves".
Aerowisata operates several businesses, including travel, hotel and catering services.
A director of Merdeka Tours in Bali, Frans S. Sidharta, said BTM would show the world that Indonesia, particularly Bali, was safe.
"There are some buyers from new markets like Slovakia taking part in BTM, so hopefully we can secure new business," he said.
The executive chairman of BTM, Maman Sunarsa, said the event was held in Bali because buyers could visit all the attractions in Bali after the fair ended.
"It is necessary for Indonesia to continue participating in overseas travel events like those in Berlin, London, Geneva and Singapore. But by hosting a travel event, it will allow buyers to see and visit the destinations and attractions in Indonesia," he said.
Meanwhile, the head of the provincial office of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Luther Barrung, who is also BTM chairman, said the travel fair was a complement to the annual Tourism Indonesia Mart & Expo held in Jakarta in September.
The Bali Travel Mart is focusing on showing buyers that Bali and the whole of Indonesia is developing, upgrading its infrastructure and creating new products to keep the island and the country beautiful.
Bali is expected to help reinvigorate the country's tourist industry. In the first three months of this year, Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport recorded a 23.15 percent increase in tourist arrivals. The airport, serving 15 international airlines, is now the country's main gateway, replacing Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, which fell to third position behind Batam.
There are 103 star-rated hotels with more than 16,300 rooms in Bali, in addition to 1,283 non-star-rated hotels with a total of 16,032 rooms.