Yogyakarta hosts ATF

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ten ASEAN member countries, along with China, Japan and South Korea will participate in the 2002 ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Yogyakarta next week, according to BW Communications, the media coordinator of the forum.

BW Communications principal consultant Ida Bayuni said on Wednesday that the forum would be attended by 1,500 delegates, and President Megawati Soekarnoputri would open the event at the palace of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X.

She explained that Indonesia has hosted ATF on four occasions and this four-day event would take place at the Yogyakarta Expo Center with the theme: Nature Links and Cultural Corridors.

Ida noted that most of the presenters in the forum would talk about the tourism and travel business outlook following the Sept. 11 terrorist attack in the United States.

Ida added that there would be a travel exchange program providing opportunities for buyers and sellers to do business transactions. "Currently there are 315 seller companies from ASEAN countries and 346 buyer companies from 46 countries," she said.

She also said that the participants come from various sectors, such as international tourist agencies, the handicraft industry, trade, transportation, telecommunications and national tourist organizations.