Governor Surjadi opens Tourism Mart and Expo

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)