Marine tourism to be discussed in seminar

JAKARTA (JP): The government is to hold a symposium on marine tourism from Sept. 18 to Sept. 20 at the Gran Melia Hotel here to promote the sector.

The planned symposium, entitled Marine Resources Development in Indonesia, Challenges and Problems, will feature domestic and international experts as speakers, Pudjo Basuki, head of the Jakarta office of the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication, told reporters here yesterday.

He said Indonesia, as an archipelagic country with water area representing about 70 percent, has a big potential in marine tourism, but thus far, the sector remains underdeveloped.

There are only 141 foreign and domestic companies operating in the marine tourism sector with a total investment of US$57 million.

Meanwhile, he said, the coral reef, which is the main attraction of the sector, remains only 7 percent pristine due to the continuing destruction, and lack of protection by the government.

Frans Seda, a former minister who currently operates a marine tourism business in Flores, said at yesterday's press conference that the bureaucracy which obligates investors to go to dozens of government offices to process licenses for marine tourism business is also responsible for the current under-development in that sector.

"We call on the government to simplify the licensing procedures," he said. (jsk)