PATA expected to jump-start Indonesia's tourism industry

eTravelblackboardasia, Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Place your ad hereIn a report by Bernama, the 2007 Pacific Asian Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart is expected to deliver great benefits to Indonesia’s domestic tourism industry.

"The decline of Indonesian tourism in the last two years due to natural disasters, security problems and the avian flu attack are expected to be gradually halted," Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik was quoted as saying in the article.

As a result, the government and those involved in tourism are committed to normalising the nation’s tourism industry. The government is targeting 7 million foreign tourists to Indonesia in 2008. Recently, Bali has alone witnessed an average of 5,200 foreign tourists a day, well above the normal level of 4,500.

According to the report, Minister Jero Wacik believes that the improvement in Indonesia’s tourism climate is the result of frequent Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) being held in the country. The Minister hopes that PATA will also help boost foreign tourists to Indonesia through increased trade and media coverage.

PATA will take place in Nusa Dua, Bali this week and is expected to draw in more than 1,500 people from 50 member countries.