Governor Surjadi opens Tourism Mart and Expo

JAKARTA (JP): About 50,000 people are expected to attend the fourth Tourism Indonesia Mart and Expo which opens here today.

The four-day event is organized by Indonesia's Tourism Promotion Board (BPPI) and Jakarta's tourist agency and will be officially opened by Jakarta's Governor Surjadi Soedirdja tomorrow.

BPPI's chairman Wuryastuti Sunaryo said yesterday the event was aimed at promoting Indonesia to the world market, as well as developing tourist-related sectors to contribute to the country's economy.

"The mart and expo can be a venue to increase the use of local products in the country's tourism industry," Wuryastuti said.

The event includes a tourist mart, where local sellers can sell their products to foreign tour operators, and an expo, where the sellers can promote and exhibit their products to local visitors.

The products include airlines, textiles, handicrafts, furniture and hotels.

The mart and expo will also have panel discussions and seminars featuring local and foreign speakers who will address issues on tourism.

Wuryastuti said about 374 sellers from 21 provinces in the country will set up 193 booths during the mart. She said 247 buyers from 33 countries would participate in the mart.

Several national tourist organizations including those of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Egypt will display their tourist products during the event.

Some foreign countries had increased the number of their buyers during this year's mart, she said.

The number of buyers from Italy increased to 10 from two buyers last year, Japan to 26 from seven, Netherlands to 39 from 23 and Singapore to 25 from 13, she said.

She said the mart had also attracted buyers from new potential markets in Europe, including Finland, Poland and Turkey.

She said this year's mart and expo focused on promoting marine tourism and adventure tourism in Indonesia.

"Almost every part of Indonesia has a unique marine or nature site and the market potential is very promising," he said.

Wuryastuti said the event cost Rp 5.5 billion (US$1.83 million), of which Rp 1.2 billion was financed by the board.

Jakarta's tourist agency and private sectors contributed the remaining Rp 4.3 billion, she said.

She expected the mart would generate US$300,000 per company. (das)