W Java declares formation of tourism board

Bandung, W Java (ANTARA News) - The West Java provincial administration here Tuesday declared the formation of a West Java Tourism Board in connection with the launching of Visit Indonesia Year 2008 by the central government.

"The board will be the spearhead of any central and provincial government initiative to develop West Java`s tourism sector. We will do it from now on," head of the West Java Tourism and Culture Office HI Budhiyana said.

The board would facilitate efforts to improve West Java`s performance in the tourism sector as well as serve as a think-tank on how the sector needs to be developed in the future, he said.

In conjunction with the launching of Visit-Indonesia Year 2008 at national level, West Java had also proclaimed a Visit West Java Year 2008 with the purpose of increasing the number of tourist arrivals in the province.

"The tourism sector saw significant growth in 2007. The year was the strategic start to raise the foreign tourist arrival target in 2008," he said.

He admitted so far the mix of tourists visiting West Java was still dominated by domestic tourists who accounted for as much 96 percent of the total number of tourist arrivals in West Java in 2007.

In 2008, the challenge and strategy in West Java`s tourism development efforts would be aimed at developing community-based tourism.

He said the tourism sector in West Java contributed some Rp19.4 trillion to the province`s revenues in 2007 while the target had been set at Rp22 trillion.

In 2007, the number of foreign tourists visiting West Java reached 350,000 compared to the target set at 500,000, he added.

He said efforts would be made to stimulate the souvenir industry in support of the West Java-Visit Year.