Local wrong perceptions hinder tourism development
Local wrong perceptions hinder tourism development
JAKARTA (JP): The unfavorable perception among local people of the development of tourist facilities is hampering the promotion of the tourism which has been fostered for 25 years.
"There are three basic unfavorable perceptions about the development of the tourist industry in the country. Many people still believe that tourism will have a negative impact on Indonesia's social values, damage the environment and improve only the welfare of businessmen," Director General of Tourism Andi Mappi Sammeng said yesterday at the opening of a two-day workshop on tourism at Hotel Wisata here.
He said the government introduced Tourism Law No. 9/1990 to counter these negative views. The law specifically supports the development of the tourist industry with the requirements that the country's social values, traditions and other aspects of public interest be considered and preserved.
"We also have State Policy Guidelines promoting the development of the tourist industry," he said.
Andi pointed out that officials within the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications and other related offices should be more serious about communicating the meaning of the tourist industry to the country's development.
"We need many well qualified spokespersons throughout the country," he said.
The workshop, attended by legislators from Commission V of the House of Representatives as observers, is participated in by 70 officials from government institutions throughout the country.
Currently there are 500 clubs, which are called Sadar Wisata and group about 26,000 personnel in Indonesia, assigned to communicate the purpose of tourist development programs promoted by the government.
Progress
Later yesterday, Andi said in a seminar here on challenges in tourism that by the year of 2000 Indonesia is expected to have achieved the highest tourist growth rate.
Andi said many countries have acknowledged that Indonesia's tourist industry is growing rapidly and has a quite bright future.
"In the Asia-Pacific region, Southeast Asia's tourist industry is considered to have the fastest growth rate and Indonesia will be a leading nation," he said.
In its November 1994 edition, Asia Week ranked Indonesia first among Asian countries which gained the highest growth in revenues from visiting foreign tourists in the last decade.
The Hong Kong-based magazine reported that Indonesia recorded a 773 percent increase in tourist spending from US$288 million in 1981 to $2.51 billion in 1991, far above South Korea, which was ranked second and recorded a 582 percent increase.
Last year, Indonesia earned some $4 billion from the visits of more than four million tourists.
Andi said that in facing the growth, the country has to enhance coordination among government institutions.
He explained that government institutions need to further synchronize their work and prepare facilities to cope with the growth.
He said Indonesia, which already operates 23 international airports all over the country, for example, should also immediately prepare quick procedures for immigration services.
"It's just an example. In the meantime, are we ready to receive and serve visitors from Asian countries who do not speak English?" he wondered.
Andi said that Indonesia's major potential markets include not only English-speaking nations but also Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. (icn)