Marine tourism to be discussed in seminar

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)