Tourist arrivals up 14,6% in 5 months, Indonesia optimistic to reach 7 million target

At the Tourism Marketing Coordinating Meeting held in Jakarta on 29 July, Director General for Tourism Marketing, DR. Sapta Nirwandar, called on Indonesia’s travel industry to synchronize their individual marketing plans in joint effort with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism so as to achieve maximum returns. The meeting aims to coordinate 2011 programs so as achieve the target of a high 7.5 million tourist arrivals in 2011, up from an expected 7 million this year.

Present at this meeting were 12 Tourism overseas representatives, tourism associations and industry leaders and provincial tourist offices from throughout Indonesia.

Nirwandar explained that during the first 5 months of 2010 visitors arrivals to Indonesia reached 2.767 million (through 19 major entry points only) a significant increase of 14.6% compared to the same period last year. Based on these figures and looking at the national and world economy, the Director General is confident that Indonesia will reach the set target, with main condition that the government, the private sector and the airlnes work together towards our common goal.

Additionally, in 2009, the number of domestic tourists is estimated to have reached 119.94 million making 229.73 departures per year, spending an average Rp.600.000 per departure. In 2010 the government estimates that there will be 233 million departures, spending a total of Rp, 128 trillion in the various destinations. In the first 5 months of this year, domestic air passengers already grew by a hefty 22.07% compared to the same time last year.

To reach the 7 million international tourist arrival target this year, Indonesia aims to attract from the major tourist markets: 1.5 million Singaporeans (up from 1.273 million. in 2009); 1.3 million from Malaysia (up from 1.179 million), 525,000 from Japan (up from 475,766), 812,000 from Europe (up from 674,158), 300,000 from South Korea (up from 256,522), 620,000 from Australia (up from 587,437), 630,000 from China, up from 395,013 last year).

Whereas for 2011, Indonesia targets between 7 million to 7.5 million tourist arrivals (up 7.14% from 2010 target arrivals).

The day before, on 28 August intensive discussions were held with Visit Indonesia Tourist Offices (VITO) representatives, that included officers from Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, France, the Middle East, India, Japan, China – Guangzhou and Beijing – Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

The meeting also discussed streamlining the design and contents between Indonesia’s official tourism website www.indonesia.travel with the respective VITO webs, to gain maximum exposure, while supplying the information and promotional services requested by each target market.

In the latest development, tourist arrivals data as issued by the National Statistics Board, showed that this reached 3.38 million during the first semester (January-June), an increase of 14% compared to Semester I last year, which totaled 2.97 million. Major increases occurred through the air and sea ports of Bali, Jakarta and Batam, said Board Chairman, Rusman Heriawan, as reported by Bisnis Indonesia on 2 August.

Source Indonesian Digest