Visit Indonesia Year 2008: Minister Optimistic 7 Million Visitors target attainable

On 26 December, Minister for Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik officially launched Visit Indonesia Year 2008 that aims to achieve 7 million tourist arrivals in 2008, offering at least 100 events throughout the archipelago throughout the year.

During January through November 2007 the number of tourists visiting Indonesia jumped a promising 14% compared to the same period in 2006, Central Bureau of Statistics data showed.

The 4.11 million arrivals through Indonesias 15 main entry points were boosted by a resurgence of tourism to Bali, which saw a 32.3% increase to 1.59 million visitors to the island in the January to November period. Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport recorded the second highest number of tourists at 1.05 million arrivals, little changed, however, from 1.04 million in the same period in 2006, wrote AFP.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism, therefore, estimates that counting arrivals through smaller entry points as well as cruise passengers, the total number of visitors to Indonesia for 2007 would reach 5.5 million, up 12.9 % from the 4.87 million foreign tourists who visited Indonesia in 2006 who spent a total of US$4.45 billion. This is a record number of visitors to Indonesia in the past decade said Minister Jero Wacik, although conceding that this number falls short of the earlier targeted 6 million arrivals for 2007.

Although the target for VIY 2008 has been set at 7 million, or an increase of 27.3% over 2007 figures, earning US$ 5 billion for the country, nonetheless, the Ministry has set a pessimistic estimate of 6 million (up 9%), and a medium estimate at 6.5 million (up 18%) visitors for 2008.

Source: Tuti Sunario