RI target S. African tourists

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia is targeting to attract around 700,000 tourists from South Africa, particularly from Cape Town, as part of an effort to reach its target of around six million foreign tourists from all over the world.

"South Africa has contributed significantly to Indonesia's tourism industry, considering that there are more than 700,000 citizens whose ancestor is Syech Yusuf, a merchant from Makassar (South Sulawesi)," State Minister for Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik said on Thursday.

The "emotional attachment", he added, was expected to boost Indonesia's tourism industry with many people of Indonesian descent living in Macassar Faure, Cape Town.

To support its promotion effort, Indonesia will send a 99- strong delegation consisting of officials from the state minister's office, the South Sulawesi administration, historians, artists, chefs, hoteliers and travel agencies from Jakarta, Bali and South Sulawesi to participate in the Easter Festival in Cape Town from March 24 to March 27.

Indonesian businessmen traveling with the delegation will conduct a business forum on March 22 and March 23 with 120 South African counterparts in Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively.

Two Indonesian scholars -- Azyumardi Azra and Nabilah Lubis -- are also scheduled to speak at Stellenbosch University, in Cape province, on slavery and political exile.

Apart from South Africa, the government has made extra measures to attract tourists from China, India and the Middle East.

The state minister's office recorded that last year around 5.3 million tourists came to Indonesia, generating revenue of US$5 billion. This year, the government hopes to attract six million tourists and earn $6 billion in foreign exchange. (004)