Licensing process for int'l meets to be simplified
Licensing process for int'l meets to be simplified
JAKARTA (JP): The government will simplify arduous licensing
procedures for the organization of domestic and international
conventions to promote the country's meeting, incentive,
convention and exhibition (MICE) industry, an official says.
Director for Convention and International Relations of the
Directorate General of Tourism W.J. Pranoto told The Jakarta Post
here over the weekend that private organizers frequently complain
that licensing for domestic and international MICE is still
complicated, thereby discouraging foreigners from organizing
events in the country.
According to Pranoto, an organizer of a tourism-related
exhibition, for instance, is often required to get licenses from
the Ministries of Trade or Industry. "But if the organizer
invites participants from countries which have no diplomatic
relationship with Indonesia, it should get other permits from
several government institutions," he said.
He said that the Ministry of Tourism, Post and
Telecommunications will soon hold meetings with officials from
related institutions, including the National Police, the Armed
Forces Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS), the National
Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Bakin), the Armed Forces, the
Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Trade, the Directorate
General of Immigration and the Directorate General of Customs and
Excise.
"Based on the Tourism Law of 1990, licensing for MICE
businesses is actually the Ministry of Tourism, Post and
Telecommunications' domain. But procedures to get MICE permits
are so far very arduous," he said.
Easier
"Under the coordination of the Directorate General of Tourism,
we hope the licensing for MICE will be easier," he said, adding
that the progress of the business also depends on professionals,
facilities and infrastructures.
Data from the directorate general show that Indonesia last
year hosted 642 events, which indicated a three percent increase
from 623 events in 1992. Of last year's total events, 96 were
international events attended by 12,215 foreign participants.
Singapore recently claimed to be the most popular meeting
venue in Asia in 1993 with 116 international meetings out of 690
held in the island republic.
In Indonesia, over the past five years, most of the events
were held in Bali (40.71 percent), Jakarta (37.72 percent),
Yogyakarta (5.4 percent) and Bandung in West Java (4.61 percent),
while the remainder were held in Surabaya (East Java), Medan
(North Sumatra), Batam (Riau), Ujungpandang (South Sulawesi) and
Manado (North Sulawesi).
Pranoto said that the number of spacious convention rooms in
hotels and tourism complexes should be increased as there are
currently only two sites, in Jakarta and Bali, which can
accommodate more than 2,000 participants within a single room.
He also said that there are only 12 professional companies
licensed to organize MICE. (icn)