Tourism development needs more private participation
Tourism development needs more private participation
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications
Joop Ave encouraged private firms here yesterday to improve their
contribution to the development of the country's tourism, post
and telecommunications sectors.
"It's the turn for private firms to sit in the driving seat,
while the government is the 'co-pilot'," Joop said at the first
session of a two-day workshop of his ministry.
He said that both state-owned and private companies should
carefully weigh the public interest when setting prices and
tariffs.
"The status of the state-owned postal service PT Pos Indonesia
has just been changed into that of a profit oriented firm. Next
year, the company will launch several new services. But I hope
there won't be any price hikes," he said.
The two-day workshop was officially opened by President
Soeharto on Wednesday, together with a two-day tourism
consolidation forum which ended on Thursday evening. The forum
was aimed to create a consensus on the country's tourism
development plan.
The events, especially the consolidation forum, focused on the
country's tourism sector which has been targeted to become the
country's major foreign exchange earner by 2005.
The forum was divided into three commissions, macro economy,
policy and pricing.
A number of executives of private firms participating in the
pricing commission acknowledged that the cost of domestic air
transportation and hotels in Indonesia is still high.
"It's necessary to create a new formula for the pricing
arrangement," an executive said.
The recommendations agreed on in the forum included a plan to
encourage both domestic and foreign tourists to visit places
outside Java and Bali and the restructuring of domestic air
transportation networks.
Joop said yesterday that he will report the recommendations to
President Soeharto.
"I'll report the results to the President in the next two or
three months," he said, adding that other government institutions
are expected to take part in the promotion and development of the
tourism industry.(icn)