Visit Indonesia Year 2008 Needs Funding of US$30 Million
The Indonesian-language Bisnis.com quotes the Director General of Marketing for the Department of Culture and Tourism, Thamrin Bachri, as saying the government should commit to a promotional budget of US$30 million a full year in advance of the planned Visit Indonesia Year 2008. Citing the need for advance planning of at least one year, Bachri told the press that the US$30 million promotional budget will be presented and discussed at a 3-day coordinating meeting for culture and tourism to be opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The substantially larger amount than that normally allocated to national tourism promotion will be used for general promotional activities and to support a series festivals in various regions throughout Indonesia scheduled for 2008. Bachri explained that in order to meet the targeted 7 million foreign visitors to Indonesia in that year, the planning process must commence immediately. Reminding the press that Indonesia is in stiff competition for its share of international tourist visitors, Bachri pointed to the US$80 million being spent by Malaysia on Visit Malaysia Year 2007 now underway.
Bachri added, "that there must be a marketing formulation, creation of an appropriate strategy and the accumulation of funds from the private sector in support of Visit Indonesian Year 2008 in order that the desired target can be achieved". Indonesia plans to reopen its network of overseas tourist promotion offices including Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Great Britain, Taiwan, Dubai, India, China (PRC) and Saudi Arabia.
(3/31/2007)
