Bali Travel Mart opens with optimism

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.