Indonesia and World Tourism News

“We are ready to increase tourist packages to make Visit Indonesia Year (VIY) 2008 a success. We have a target of seven million foreign and 223 million domestic tourists,” advisor of the association, Ir. H. Misbach Mulyadi said here Tuesday.

Misbach was a former head of the association who has resigned on Aug 25 after leading the association for two terms since 1998.

The owner of a travel agency in Mataram said travel agency associations across the country, including those in West Nusa Tenggara, were trying to promote their tourist potentials but always found difficulties in adjusting to world tourism developments.

In the meantime, the marketing of tourist objects is now conducted by offering travel packages with direct services and several facilities including transportation. For example, Lombok Island has tourism and outbound packages which consist of the panoramic views and culture. The packages are offered to individuals or groups in several types such as City Tours, Kuta Lombok Tours, Rinjani Trecking, and visits to Sendang Gile waterfall.

Other tourist objects and destinations in special packages are natural tourist sites, culinary, shopping centres, maritime parks, historical and cultural sites, in addition to golf and honeymoon tours as special offers.

Moreover, cultural festivals, traditional ceremonies, art and traditional performances, culinary and clothing exhibitions, traditional handicrafts and several sports events were also offered to visitors.

“Those packages are offered directly during the association´s road shows to several countries or through the Internet and the media,” said Misbach.

However, Misbach who is also a politician from Golkar Party, added that the program needed support from the government both at the national and regional levels, and also from airline companies.

He also stated that the government must always prepare a budget although limited needed for the packages of main tourism objects and destinations.

“More direct flights from the provinces in Indonesia to Mataram, the capital city of West Nusa Tenggara, and Lombok Island are also needed. Garuda Indonesia for example needs to increase its direct flights from and to Mataram,” said the owner of a travel agency in Mataram, A & T Holiday Travel Division.

Misbach also hoped that the regional Budget (APBD) would help facilitate foreign tourists to come to Lombok Island.

The West Nusa Tenggara office cooperated with a fast shipping company Bounty Cruises to carry tourists from Benoa (Bali) to Senggigi (Lombok).