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JAKARTA. Indonesia is intensifying its tourism promotional activities in the Middle East and China in an effort to attract 12 million foreign tourists this year and 20 million by 2019.
In a bid to lure international tourists from these two regions, the Indonesian government is developing special tourism destinations. As tourists coming from the Middle East are mostly Muslims, 10 provinces are now being developed as Halal tourism destinations.
Besides this, the Indonesian government is also preparing 10 tourism destinations known as the "10 New Balis." These ten new destinations are expected to become as popular as Bali, the famous Indonesian tourist resort island of Bali Province.
Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya had stated recently that the term "New Bali" was an expression that promoted new destinations to attract as many tourists as those visiting Bali Island.
The ten prioritized tourism destinations in 2016 include Lake Toba (North Sumatra), Belitung (Bangka Belitung), Tanjung Lesung (Banten), Seribu Islands (Jakarta), Borobudur Temple (Central Java), Mount Bromo (East Java), Mandalika Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara), Komodo Island (East Nusa Tenggara), Wakatobi National Park (Southeast Sulawesi), and Morotai (North Maluku).
However, both Muslim and non-Muslim tourists can choose between the two types of tourism destinations either to visit the Halal tourism destinations or the New Balis. Halal tourism is designed not only for Muslims but also for non-Muslims.
"A misunderstanding still exists regarding Halal tourism, and some people think it is meant only for Muslims as all aspects must be based on shariah. However, Halal tourism means the destination, accommodation, culinary delicacies, and tourist attractions must all be in accordance with the Halal concept," Burhasman, head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Office of West Sumatra Province, stated recently.
Therefore, the 10 Halal tourism destinations are also being offered to non-Muslim tourists. The Indonesian Tourism Ministry has designated at least 10 provinces as Halal tourist destination regions, which comprise six provinces or special regions in Java (Banten, Jakarta, West Java, and Central Java, in addition to Yogyakarta and East Java), two in Sumatra (West Sumatra and Aceh), one in Kalimantan (South Kalimantan), and one in Nusa Tenggara (West Nusa Tenggara or NTB).
While developing Halal tourism destinations, Indonesia is also increasing its promotional activities in the Middle East, including by participating in various travel expositions. On April 25-28, 2016, for instance, Indonesia will take part in the "Arabian Travel Mart" in Dubai.
Besides promoting its tourism destinations in the Middle East, Indonesia has also set its sights on luring tourists from China. It is even offering an opportunity to Chinese businesses to invest in tourism destinations in Indonesia.
The assistant deputy for Asia Pacific market development of the Ministry of Tourism, Vinsensius Jemadu, had earlier said Indonesia has selected China to intensively market its diving tourism as a large number of Chinese tourists can potentially visit the country.
Indonesia would continue to promote diving tourism in China, he said last month. "We have already sent a diving tourism sale mission to Chongqing, which is one of the four municipalities under the direct control of the central government in China," he said.
Indonesia is making its efforts not only to attract Chinese tourists but also lure investors from that country. Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has offered three tourism destination investment opportunities to Chinese investors wishing to invest in tourism business in Indonesia.
Minister Arief Yahya was on a visit to the Chinese province of Anhui to meet the local government officials to offer investment opportunities in North Bali, Bintan Island in Riau Islands province near Singapore, and Manado, the provincial capital of North Sulawesi, in Indonesia.
"Investment will be needed in infrastructure such as a toll road and an airport, especially in Bali. Possibly, there will be investors from Anhui who want to invest in these," the minister said. (Andi Abdussalam)
