KUNMING - The
Indonesian government hopes to attract 150,000
Chinese tourists in 2006, an increase on the
number of tourist visits for 2005 which is
predicted to reach 100,000 people. "We have the
target; next year 150,000 Chinese will make their
trip to Indonesia," the Director for Overseas
Promotion of the Culture and Tourism Ministry,
Tatang Rukhyat said here November 26.
Tatang said the number is a realistic
target as the two nations have emotional links,
with many Indonesians having relatives in
China. In addition, Indonesia
has attractive tourism centers which cannot be
found in competing countries such as Malaysia,
Thailand and Singapore.
Every year, 23
million Chinese tourists visited tourism centers
throughout the world with 20% of them coming to
ASEAN countries. In 2003, the number of Chinese
tourists visiting Indonesia reached 49,000. The
number has sharply increased to 81,000 people, and
as of October 2005 it numbered 85,000.
The
number is still below Malaysia's record 3 million
Chinese tourists in 2004, while Singapore and
Thailand have attracted 1.3 million and 800,000
Chinese tourists, respectively. Tatang admitted
efforts to meet the target of 100,000 tourists in
2005 would face the negative impact of the second
Bali bombing on October 1. "But we must have
self-confidence; intensive promotion and
dissemination of accurate information about
Indonesia will help us to reach the target, even
surpass it," Tatang said.
Meanwhile, head
of Asia Promotion Nia Niscaya said promotion in
China should be more focused and the frequency of
road shows should be intensified especially in big
cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, and
Beijing. But such
promotion would need support from related
institutions, including local administrations,
airlines and the hotel industry, operators of
tourism centers and the local community. "If all
stakeholders can have a good synergy, not only
China but visits of tourist from other countries
will also increase," Nia said.
In addition
to road shows, Nia said, the government has
offered "uniquely one plus one" packages, which
allow Chinese tourists visiting Singapore to
continue their trip to Indonesia. "With the
packages, Chinese tourists who come to Singapore
will be directed to continue their trips to
Indonesia, not only to Bali and Jakarta but also
[to] other tourism centers in some provinces," Nia
added.
