Bali News

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Indonesia Tourism Leaders in More Dynamic and Creative Approach on Promoting Tourism.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called on the Department of Tourism to optimizing their work, be more creative and smarter to improve national tourism. The President's comments were made at the opening of a 3-day national coordinating meeting on culture and tourism held at the National Palace in Jakarta.

Yudhoyono told the meeting: "In fact volcanoes, areas of national disaster, mud volcanoes, earthquake zones and tsunami affected areas all have the potential to become tourist attractions. This is not 'disaster tourism,' but Indonesia's geology which is presented for tourism. If thousands people are coming to watch the colors of Indonesian volcanic crater lakes, that is not a problem so be smart, creative and innovative in promoting tourism."

The President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono hopes the tourism industry will able to become the highest contributor of foreign exchange to the economy, as in the case of the United States where tourism generates an estimated US$200 billion. In this regard, the Head of State urged the Department of Tourism do not be embarrassed to study from other countries where the tourism has become the mainstay of the economy.

A Highly Competitive Tourism Market

The Council on Indonesian Tourism (DEPARI) remind all tourism institution that Indonesia facing tide competition from neighboring destinations. Because of this matter, the Council said creative and smarter steps are needed to recover tourism through joint programs to prevent the collapse of the tourism sector.

Sri Mulyono Herlambang, the Chairman of DEPARI has said: "In confronting this tide competition the Minister of Tourism and all tourism associations and affiliated agencies do not adopt a defensive attitude. On the contrary, they must build an offensive strategy. A defensive attitude will only delay our eventual defeat."

Closely Cooperation needed

at the same time as on a private level, the Minister of Tourism Jero Wacik has good relations with the heads of Indonesia's several tourism organizations. However, in the near future, closer working together with institutional level is required to produce strategies to confront tide-competition.
(3/31/2007)