RI target S. African tourists

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)