President Habibie to visit Bali Travel Mart next week

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie is expected to attend Bali's first annual international tourism event, the Bali Travel Mart, later this month, an official said on Monday.

Head of the provincial office of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Luther Barrung, told Antara the president was expected to arrive in Bali on June 23 or June 24.

Bali Travel Mart will be held from June 22 to June 26 in Nusa Dua and is scheduled to be opened by Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Marzuki Usman.

The organizer expects 300 international buyers and 500 local sellers to participate in the event's three activities.

The event will consist of three main components: Bali Tourism Expo, which will be a major trade and consumer tourism exposition, featuring, crafts and export goods; Bali Tourism Forum, a one-day seminar on tourism marketing in Bali; and Bali Travex '99, where buyers and sellers will get together to forge new connections.

"Some 230 buyers from countries including South Africa, Europe, Australia, Asia, America, Middle East and Japan have confirmed participation in Travex alone," Barrung said.

He said 203 sellers from various provinces in the country had also confirmed participation in Travex to be held from June 24 to June 26.

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia Airlines and Singapore Airlines support the event by inviting and transporting selected buyers and travel writers from Asia, Japan, Europe, America and Australia.

He said former minister of arts and culture Joop Ave, now special assistant to the president for tourism, current tourism minister Marzuki Usman and Bali Tourism Development Corporation president director Anak Agung Gede Rai would participate in the one-day Tourism Forum on June 23.

Participants of the event will have the opportunity to observe the Bali Art Festival, which will open on the same date of the event's closing date of June 26.(cst)