Bandung gets tourism promotion agency

Bandung gets tourism promotion agency

JAKARTA (JP): Several leading hotels in Bandung, West Java,
have set up a board called the Bandung Promotion Group which will
promote and create a worldwide image for the city.

"This is a great thrill, seeing the travel industry take such
an initiative. This is really a private sector project which will
ask everyone to participate," head of the Ministry of Tourism,
Post and Telecommunications in West Java, Udin Saifuddin, said
when announcing the group's establishment in Bandung yesterday.

He said that with the additional number of hotel rooms and
other facilities now available, such an effort is very important
for a promotion breakthrough.

The initial program of the board comprises of advertising
aimed at Jakarta residents, visitors to Jakarta and travel agents
in Indonesia and Singapore now that the state-owned air carrier,
Merpati Nusantara, has a route linking Bandung and Singapore.

The Bandung Promotion Group currently groups 12 hotels
committed to paying monthly contributions to support the
promotion campaign. Other hotels, as well as travel agents,
airlines, restaurants and pubs are welcome to join in, as the
board will promote the whole city of Bandung and its
surroundings.

The advertising campaign, based on various specific
attractions of Bandung, is organized by PT Indo Multi Media.

Indo's director Alistair G. Speir said that Bandung, once
known as the "Paris van Java", has an incredible array of tourist
interests including architecture, shopping, mountains,
entertainment and culture. (icn)