China's Guizhou province conducted a tourism promotion event on Tuesday, seeking to grab more visitors from Indonesia to visit the southwestern mountainous province.
Taking a venue in a lavish hotel, the event was featured with Guizhou traditional dance performances and video display on best destinations in the province.
Besides promoting destinations in the Chinese province to potential Indonesian visitors, the event was also aimed at further promoting China-Indonesia cooperation in tourism sector, Secretary General of the Government of Guizhou province Ren Xiangsheng said.
The number of visitors from Indonesia to Guizhou province has grown 21.1 percent to around 12,800 last year. We received around 1 million foreign visitors last year, Ren said in his remarks in the event entitled 2017 China Guizhou Global Promotion.
As part of efforts to expand arrivals of visitors from Indonesia to Guizhou, he said that direct flights serving the province's capital of Guiyang to Indonesia's Bali and Bintan have been planned.
He added that the promotion events were held at the right moment as 2017 has been set as year of China-ASEAN tourism cooperation.
China and ASEAN have different tour destination resources that we can complement to each other, he said.
Ren said Guizhou offers enormously beautiful natural sceneries featured with mountains, pristine landmark forest, lakes, canyons, waterfalls, caves and hot springs.
Efforts to expand hot spring attraction were now carried out by the provincial government with new hot spring sites increasingly found in the province's counties, he added.
The province hosts large numbers of China's diverse ethnic groups with each of them having their own culture and traditions, potential sources for the nation's tourism sector.
Director for Asia Pacific Tourism at Indonesian tourism ministry Vincentius Jemadu greatly welcomed the event, saying that it would further expand people-to-people contact between Indonesia and China and expand tourism sector of both nations.
We hope travel agents from Guizhou and Indonesia would team up together to further promote and boost arrivals of visitors in the respective areas, he said.
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Showing posts with label indonesia tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indonesia tourism. Show all posts
Monday, 17 July 2017
Friday, 7 July 2017
INDONESIA: Python Meat On Sale In North Sulawesi,Indonesia
Many people want wild animals as exotic pets. Other people like to eat them. And some people's penchant for exotic "meat" is so great that they will go to great lengths and expenses just to obtain the meat of rare and endangered animals.
What's worse is that some otherwise reputable sellers are all too willing to cater to such reprehensible culinary tastes. A case in point is a supermarket in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province.
As members of the animal welfare group Jakarta Animal Aid Network have discovered to their horror, a store of the Indonesian supermarket chain called Transmart was selling slices of meat from dead pythons in Manado.
The group has called for a boycott of the supermarket chain, while numerous animal lovers within the country and outside it have expressed anger and sadness over the sale of snakes as meat.
Others, however, have defended the sale of python meat, insisting that people have the right to eat whatever they wanted.
Manadonese cuisine is famous for many things, including being incredibly spicy, but it is also controversial for utilizing a wide variety of ‘exotic’ meats, including bat, boar, field rat, cat, dog and, yes, snake in its cooking, an Indonesia-based online news site explains.
The traditional marketplaces in the nearby mountain town of Tomohon and Tondano are especially infamous for selling these meats."
Needless to say, in Malaysia, too, the sale of endangered animals as bush meat remains all too common, especially in places like Sabah, despite unrelenting efforts to shut it down.
Meanwhile, the manager of the Indonesia store in question said the supermarket would pull python meat off the shelves in the face of all the negative publicity. However, he clearly saw nothing wrong with selling the meat of snakes per se as he insisted that many other stores in Manado have been doing so as well.
It's the usual "if everyone else is doing it, it can't be wrong" excuse. But killing and eating endangered animals is wrong no matter how many people may think otherwise.
What's worse is that some otherwise reputable sellers are all too willing to cater to such reprehensible culinary tastes. A case in point is a supermarket in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province.
As members of the animal welfare group Jakarta Animal Aid Network have discovered to their horror, a store of the Indonesian supermarket chain called Transmart was selling slices of meat from dead pythons in Manado.
The group has called for a boycott of the supermarket chain, while numerous animal lovers within the country and outside it have expressed anger and sadness over the sale of snakes as meat.
Others, however, have defended the sale of python meat, insisting that people have the right to eat whatever they wanted.
Manadonese cuisine is famous for many things, including being incredibly spicy, but it is also controversial for utilizing a wide variety of ‘exotic’ meats, including bat, boar, field rat, cat, dog and, yes, snake in its cooking, an Indonesia-based online news site explains.
The traditional marketplaces in the nearby mountain town of Tomohon and Tondano are especially infamous for selling these meats."
Needless to say, in Malaysia, too, the sale of endangered animals as bush meat remains all too common, especially in places like Sabah, despite unrelenting efforts to shut it down.
Meanwhile, the manager of the Indonesia store in question said the supermarket would pull python meat off the shelves in the face of all the negative publicity. However, he clearly saw nothing wrong with selling the meat of snakes per se as he insisted that many other stores in Manado have been doing so as well.
It's the usual "if everyone else is doing it, it can't be wrong" excuse. But killing and eating endangered animals is wrong no matter how many people may think otherwise.
Monday, 19 June 2017
INDONESIA: Best Western Premier Agung Resort Ubud A Classy Holiday Experience In Bali
Best Western Hotels & Resorts brings a classy holiday experience to Bali with its recently opened Best Western Premier Agung Resort Ubud.
Nestled within a lush forest, yet close to the main attractions of Ubud, the classical charm and beauty of the “Island of the Gods” is captured in the resort’s interior and exterior design.
The open plan features many traditional touches like wooden floors and Balinese furnishings.
These are complemented by an array of modern amenities and facilities, including complimentary Wi-Fi, ensuring that guests have the best of both worlds.
This intimate, low-rise resort accommodates 75 spacious guestrooms with comfortable beds, working space, state-of-the-art technology and a private balcony or terrace.
Guests can cool off in the outdoor swimming pool, soak up the tropical sun on the large pool terrace, work out in the well-equipped fitness centre, or enjoy soothing treatments at the on-site spa, which harnesses organic herbs and ingredients produced by an onsite farm.
There is also a spacious restaurant serving exquisite local and international cuisine in a semi-al fresco setting, plus a casual coffee shop, which is the perfect place to unwind and connect with friends and family.
Ubud is a truly breath-taking destination, packed with culture, natural beauty and traditional Balinese charm, said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ managing director of international operations Asia.
We are delighted to enter this highly sought-after market with a resort that reflects the charm and ambience of Ubud.
The classical design and bright, spacious layout take full advantage of the island’s natural gifts, allowing guests to relax amidst verdant jungles, shady palm trees and fresh mountain air.
This enables Best Western Premier Agung Resort Ubud to deliver an authentic Balinese experience; perfect for guests seeking to get in touch with the soul of the island.
Perched in the island’s central uplands, Ubud is home to a wealth of activities and experiences.
Guests are able to visit local attractions such as the Ubud Monkey Forest, the ancient Goa Gajah, or “Elephant Cave”, and the beautiful Tegallalang Rice Terraces.
During the day, guests can simply browse the town’s many markets, craft shops and galleries.
Nestled within a lush forest, yet close to the main attractions of Ubud, the classical charm and beauty of the “Island of the Gods” is captured in the resort’s interior and exterior design.
The open plan features many traditional touches like wooden floors and Balinese furnishings.
These are complemented by an array of modern amenities and facilities, including complimentary Wi-Fi, ensuring that guests have the best of both worlds.
This intimate, low-rise resort accommodates 75 spacious guestrooms with comfortable beds, working space, state-of-the-art technology and a private balcony or terrace.
Guests can cool off in the outdoor swimming pool, soak up the tropical sun on the large pool terrace, work out in the well-equipped fitness centre, or enjoy soothing treatments at the on-site spa, which harnesses organic herbs and ingredients produced by an onsite farm.
There is also a spacious restaurant serving exquisite local and international cuisine in a semi-al fresco setting, plus a casual coffee shop, which is the perfect place to unwind and connect with friends and family.
Ubud is a truly breath-taking destination, packed with culture, natural beauty and traditional Balinese charm, said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ managing director of international operations Asia.
We are delighted to enter this highly sought-after market with a resort that reflects the charm and ambience of Ubud.
The classical design and bright, spacious layout take full advantage of the island’s natural gifts, allowing guests to relax amidst verdant jungles, shady palm trees and fresh mountain air.
This enables Best Western Premier Agung Resort Ubud to deliver an authentic Balinese experience; perfect for guests seeking to get in touch with the soul of the island.
Perched in the island’s central uplands, Ubud is home to a wealth of activities and experiences.
Guests are able to visit local attractions such as the Ubud Monkey Forest, the ancient Goa Gajah, or “Elephant Cave”, and the beautiful Tegallalang Rice Terraces.
During the day, guests can simply browse the town’s many markets, craft shops and galleries.
Tuesday, 2 May 2017
INDONESIA: Hundreds Of Singaporean Tourists Loved Music Festival, Attendance Numbers Talk
The Wonderful Indonesia Music Festival Crossborder Batam in Riau Islands on April 29 made a huge impact on the city’s economy, especially in the tourist sector.
It is estimated that some 34,000 hotel rooms were occupied over the weekend. With the addition of 900 tourists from Singapore attending the festival, restaurants, hotels and shops were overwhelmed with visitors.
“All of our rooms are fully booked until May 1,” said the executive secretary at the Golden View Hotel.
The tourists from Singapore contribute to hotel and restaurant tax. They also donated money to the local orphanage and the orphans in Batam,” said Sulaiman Sulaiman Shehdek from the Visit Indonesia Tourism Office in Singapore.
Some 900 Singaporean tourists, including people from the blind and visually impaired community, traveled to Batam, Riau Islands, on three ferries and 22 buses to attend the Wonderful Indonesia Music Festival Cross-Border Batam on April 29 at the Sumatra Expo Center Batam.
For an hour, the tourists were entertained by the Indonesian band Wali.
Apart from attending the concert, the tourists also arranged a Qasidah (a genre of Arabic-language poetry) performance in Sekupang district, a marching band performance by 100 school children and made a donation to the local orphanage. All of these activities were funded with their own money.
Riau Islands is known as a maritime tourist destination. It is among the most-visited places by foreign tourists in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Australia’s government said it will build a long-awaited second airport for Sydney after the operator of the city’s existing hub ruled out developing the project because of the “considerable” risks to shareholders.
Details of the plan for Western Sydney Airport will be unveiled in the budget next week, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an emailed statement Tuesday. The new airport will be a major catalyst for jobs and economic growth in the region and is a “vitally important project,” he said.
Sydney Airport Ltd., which operates Kingsford Smith Airport, was given first right of refusal to develop a second hub at Badgerys Creek after the government committed to the project in 2014. Chief Executive Officer Kerrie Mather said earlier today the terms offered by the government didn’t meet the company’s investment criteria and that the risks would “endure for many decades without commensurate returns for our investors."
Successive governments have studied the need for a second airport in Sydney since the 1940s.
Kingsford Smith, which accounts for about 40 percent of Australia’s international and domestic services, will run out of capacity by 2037, costing the economy A$59.5 billion ($45 billion) in lost growth by 2060, according to government agency Infrastructure Australia.
Construction of the A$5 billion first stage of the second airport, which includes a single 3,700-meter runway, parallel taxiway and terminal buildings, is due to begin next year. Total development costs could reach A$38 billion, Infrastructure Australia says.
Sydney Airport has three months to review the terms on which the government develops the new hub itself, and can change its mind. Its shares declined 1.2 percent at 11 a.m. in Sydney, compared with a 0.3 percent fall for the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index.
The new airport will inject more than A$1.9 billion into the economy during construction and 60,000 jobs in the region in the long-term, Turnbull said.
It is estimated that some 34,000 hotel rooms were occupied over the weekend. With the addition of 900 tourists from Singapore attending the festival, restaurants, hotels and shops were overwhelmed with visitors.
“All of our rooms are fully booked until May 1,” said the executive secretary at the Golden View Hotel.
The tourists from Singapore contribute to hotel and restaurant tax. They also donated money to the local orphanage and the orphans in Batam,” said Sulaiman Sulaiman Shehdek from the Visit Indonesia Tourism Office in Singapore.
Some 900 Singaporean tourists, including people from the blind and visually impaired community, traveled to Batam, Riau Islands, on three ferries and 22 buses to attend the Wonderful Indonesia Music Festival Cross-Border Batam on April 29 at the Sumatra Expo Center Batam.
For an hour, the tourists were entertained by the Indonesian band Wali.
Apart from attending the concert, the tourists also arranged a Qasidah (a genre of Arabic-language poetry) performance in Sekupang district, a marching band performance by 100 school children and made a donation to the local orphanage. All of these activities were funded with their own money.
Riau Islands is known as a maritime tourist destination. It is among the most-visited places by foreign tourists in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Australia’s government said it will build a long-awaited second airport for Sydney after the operator of the city’s existing hub ruled out developing the project because of the “considerable” risks to shareholders.
Details of the plan for Western Sydney Airport will be unveiled in the budget next week, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an emailed statement Tuesday. The new airport will be a major catalyst for jobs and economic growth in the region and is a “vitally important project,” he said.
Sydney Airport Ltd., which operates Kingsford Smith Airport, was given first right of refusal to develop a second hub at Badgerys Creek after the government committed to the project in 2014. Chief Executive Officer Kerrie Mather said earlier today the terms offered by the government didn’t meet the company’s investment criteria and that the risks would “endure for many decades without commensurate returns for our investors."
Successive governments have studied the need for a second airport in Sydney since the 1940s.
Kingsford Smith, which accounts for about 40 percent of Australia’s international and domestic services, will run out of capacity by 2037, costing the economy A$59.5 billion ($45 billion) in lost growth by 2060, according to government agency Infrastructure Australia.
Construction of the A$5 billion first stage of the second airport, which includes a single 3,700-meter runway, parallel taxiway and terminal buildings, is due to begin next year. Total development costs could reach A$38 billion, Infrastructure Australia says.
Sydney Airport has three months to review the terms on which the government develops the new hub itself, and can change its mind. Its shares declined 1.2 percent at 11 a.m. in Sydney, compared with a 0.3 percent fall for the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index.
The new airport will inject more than A$1.9 billion into the economy during construction and 60,000 jobs in the region in the long-term, Turnbull said.
CHINA: Tourist Attraction And Water Town Install Speed Bumbs
In an effort to get tourists to slow down and take in the view, a tourist attraction and water town in eastern China has installed almost a hundred “speed bumps” along the walkway of its entrance.
Originally shared on social media accounts, black-and-yellow speed bumps spaced less than a step apart lined the concrete, forcing those walking to slow down and watch their step.
A bit overconcerned? Speed bumps seen in a short range of pedestrian walks at a scenic spot in east China stunned many Chinese netizens.
The ridges are placed in ancient water town located in Zaozhuang, Shandong, known for being one of China’s most beautiful water towns.
When the photos of the speed bumps were posted and spread, state broadcaster CCTV jokingly speculated in a post of its own that the path could be a “washboard road”, due to its resemblance of the ridges on a traditional washboard used for cleaning clothes.
Others on social media joined in, with some pointing out that the possible point for the speed bumps were that they acted as a makeshift staircase as the street began to slope downwards.
“Why didn’t they just directly install stairs?” asked one user regarding this theory.
Others had different ideas. Suggested another, “Who would drive on this road? It’s clearly to prevent people from slipping.”
Someone questioned, “What’s wrong with this? Once it snows, you’ll see the use for this.”
Meanwhile, the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) held a two-day coordination meeting from April 27 to April 28 in Bangka Belitung to discuss the management of national asset archives.
At the meeting, attended by approximately 200 people, the head of ANRI Mustari Irawan talked about maintaining all tourist and culture-related archives.
“To include achievements made by Indonesian Tourism, for example the recognition of traditional dances, we must keep all the files in case other countries might attempt to claim our assets,” said Mustari.
The meeting was fully supported by the Tourism Ministry as it was a form of “MICE Tourism”. MICE stands for “meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions”.
“We support this event since it is a MICE activity that helps improve the economy of Bangka Belitung,” said Esthy Reko Astuti, the ministry's archipelago tourism marketing development deputy.
The Tourism Ministry kicked off the MICE – INAMICE 2017 National Convention at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Jakarta on Wednesday to discuss MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) tourism in Indonesia.
Aiming to devise strategies to increase the competitiveness of local businesses by strengthening the MICE industry and human resources, the event was attended by representatives from all polytechnics and universities of Indonesia that offer MICE programs.
Some of the highlights from the event were the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Tourism Ministry, Joglosemar (Yogyakarta – Solo – Semarang) mayors and Jakarta State Polytechnic.
The MoU lists several planned measures, such as the drafting of regulations to develop MICE destinations in the Joglosemar area, the provision of data at national and international MICE events, the facilitation with ownership certificates for MICE businesses, the promulgation of Tourism Ministry Regulation No. 2 of 2017 and the improvement of human resources in the MICE industry.
There was also the INAMICE Award 2017, initiated by industry players and academics to award destinations that ticked all the boxes in the judging criteria.
Originally shared on social media accounts, black-and-yellow speed bumps spaced less than a step apart lined the concrete, forcing those walking to slow down and watch their step.
A bit overconcerned? Speed bumps seen in a short range of pedestrian walks at a scenic spot in east China stunned many Chinese netizens.
The ridges are placed in ancient water town located in Zaozhuang, Shandong, known for being one of China’s most beautiful water towns.
When the photos of the speed bumps were posted and spread, state broadcaster CCTV jokingly speculated in a post of its own that the path could be a “washboard road”, due to its resemblance of the ridges on a traditional washboard used for cleaning clothes.
Others on social media joined in, with some pointing out that the possible point for the speed bumps were that they acted as a makeshift staircase as the street began to slope downwards.
“Why didn’t they just directly install stairs?” asked one user regarding this theory.
Others had different ideas. Suggested another, “Who would drive on this road? It’s clearly to prevent people from slipping.”
Someone questioned, “What’s wrong with this? Once it snows, you’ll see the use for this.”
Meanwhile, the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) held a two-day coordination meeting from April 27 to April 28 in Bangka Belitung to discuss the management of national asset archives.
At the meeting, attended by approximately 200 people, the head of ANRI Mustari Irawan talked about maintaining all tourist and culture-related archives.
“To include achievements made by Indonesian Tourism, for example the recognition of traditional dances, we must keep all the files in case other countries might attempt to claim our assets,” said Mustari.
The meeting was fully supported by the Tourism Ministry as it was a form of “MICE Tourism”. MICE stands for “meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions”.
“We support this event since it is a MICE activity that helps improve the economy of Bangka Belitung,” said Esthy Reko Astuti, the ministry's archipelago tourism marketing development deputy.
The Tourism Ministry kicked off the MICE – INAMICE 2017 National Convention at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Jakarta on Wednesday to discuss MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) tourism in Indonesia.
Aiming to devise strategies to increase the competitiveness of local businesses by strengthening the MICE industry and human resources, the event was attended by representatives from all polytechnics and universities of Indonesia that offer MICE programs.
Some of the highlights from the event were the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Tourism Ministry, Joglosemar (Yogyakarta – Solo – Semarang) mayors and Jakarta State Polytechnic.
The MoU lists several planned measures, such as the drafting of regulations to develop MICE destinations in the Joglosemar area, the provision of data at national and international MICE events, the facilitation with ownership certificates for MICE businesses, the promulgation of Tourism Ministry Regulation No. 2 of 2017 and the improvement of human resources in the MICE industry.
There was also the INAMICE Award 2017, initiated by industry players and academics to award destinations that ticked all the boxes in the judging criteria.
Monday, 24 April 2017
INDONESIA: Ambitious 15 Million Target For 2017
Indonesia sets an ambitious 15 million target for its 2017 tourist arrivals according to the latest release from Indonesia.travel, the official website of Indonesia’s tourism ministry.
Quoted by Bali Discovery, an online travel news service, Minister of Tourism, Arief Yahya, said the 15 million target represented a “25% increase over a still-to-be-confirmed 12 million visitors for all of 2016”.
National tourism arrivals up to the end of October reached 9.413 million representing a year-on-year growth of 9.54%.
Bali Discovery claimed that its own calculation showed the country would close the year with 11.4 million tourists.
Minister Yahya insisted that when the formal count was made, the country would reach a new record of 12 million.
The Ministry claims that the tourism sector contributed 11% of the Nation’s GDP in 2016, creating 11.8 million jobs.
“These significant achievements have strengthened Indonesia’s resolve to aim even higher by raising our goals and targets for 2017 to 15 million international arrivals – or a growth rate of 25% – and on to 20 million arrivals in 2019,” the minister concluded.
n the sidelines of the 2017 World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings in Washington DC, United States of America, the Indonesian delegation held a promotional event Voyage To Indonesia (VTI).
VTI is a promotional event of IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings.
As quoted from the official website of the Ministry of Finance, Sunday (4/23/2017) explained that the annual meeting of global financial institutions will be held on October 2018.
"Indonesia will host the event that will take place in Bali," he said.
The delegates represented by the Ministry of Finance and Bank Indonesia (BI) are promoting infrastructure development projects, tourism destinations of Indonesia Pesona, Indonesian art and cultural products and culinary at VTI outlets.
Meanwhile, the annual meeting of IMF and World Bank members to be held in the Nusa Dua, Bali Complex is expected to be attended by 15,000 delegates from 189 countries.
Participants consist of the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank, delegates from global and regional economic cooperation institutions, representatives of civil society, private and academic institutions, and media from all over the world.
The largest conference in the world will also attract international attention and is believed to encourage the realization of an equitable and sustainable growth of Indonesia's economy.
Quang Ninh’s Party Committee’s Communication and Education Commission says the province is cracking down on travel agencies and guides to improve the image of local tourism.
The province is famous for its national world heritage site of Halong Bay that draws millions of domestic and foreign tourists annually.
According to a Vietnam Net Bridges’ report that quoted the commission head, Cao Tuong Huy, three travel agents were fined and their international travel business licences revoked.
However, the report did not identify the three travel agents.
The authorities also imposed total fines of VND386 million (USD17,000) on 58 tour guides, halted the operations of 16 shops selling sub-standard or fake goods to Chinese tourists and punished four others for trade violations.
Travel companies are selling sub-standard services and cheating tourists prompting tough action by authorities.
State management agencies and the travel business community have fixed the floor price of each four-day three-night tour at VND1.7 to VND2 million (USD74.8 to USD88), according to the provincial Tourism Department vice director Le Minh Tan.
“The move will ensure tourism quality, while protecting travellers’ interests… further inspections will be carried out based on tour contracts to ensure sound management of international tours.”
The People’s Committee of Mong Cai city (Quang Ninh province) recently withdrew business licences from eight shopping malls as part of the efforts to clean the tourism business environment, the report added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the province People’s Committee vice chairperson, Vu Thi Thu Thuy, to inspect souvenir shops and business centres which, according to local media reports, advertised as “only serving Chinese tourists” in the city.
The city’s People’s Committee is now reviewing all licences in a bid t crackdown on malpractice mainly by travel agencies.
“We have to create quality and ensure travel agents who represent such an important industry are up to standard and are not cheating tourists… the standards are low and travel agencies lack ethics, which is damaging tourism.”
Media reports claimed Quang Ninh province’s Tourism Department’s tourism inspectors issued 43 fines for violations of travel business regulations since early this year.
Quang Ninh is home to the World Natural Heritage of Halong Bay, hundreds of national relic sites and several famous resort cities such as Halong, Van Don, and Mong Cai.
According to the Department of Tourism, Quang Ninh currently has 157 accommodation establishments from one to five-star ratings, along with 47 travel firms and nine beaches for tourists.
The province welcomed 8.3 million tourists in 2016, a 7% increase year-on-year, including 3.5 million foreigners.
Destination Asia Vietnam recently hosted a series of hosted high-end retail travel agent trips from the US following a growing interest in the market for luxury itineraries featuring Vietnam.
For many of the travel agents it was their first visit to Vietnam and Destination Asia wanted to show them authentic travel experiences using local knowledge.
The groups visited a variety of destinations including, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An in central Vietnam and the capital Hanoi.
The UNESCO World Heritage area of Halong Bay was also on most itineraries.
Destination Asia Vietnam showcased their newest range of ‘local gems’ introduced earlier this year. The travel experiences include sampling a range of local cuisine (prepared by traditional vendors) from Pho and seafood pancake to locally brewed ‘craft’ beers and rice wine.
Another hit was the Vespa food tour through districts of Ho Chi Minh where only locals frequent.
Destination Asia Vietnam general manager, Ian Clark, commented: “Following market trends for experiences that reveal the true cultural fabric of the country, our efforts are focused on delivering uncontrived product that allows travellers to bond with a destination on a fundamental and natural level.”
Destination Asia were the first destination management company to specialize in Indochina operations and the first Asia based travel company owned by its employees. Since their establishment in 1996 they have developed a network spanning 11 countries.
Quoted by Bali Discovery, an online travel news service, Minister of Tourism, Arief Yahya, said the 15 million target represented a “25% increase over a still-to-be-confirmed 12 million visitors for all of 2016”.
National tourism arrivals up to the end of October reached 9.413 million representing a year-on-year growth of 9.54%.
Bali Discovery claimed that its own calculation showed the country would close the year with 11.4 million tourists.
Minister Yahya insisted that when the formal count was made, the country would reach a new record of 12 million.
The Ministry claims that the tourism sector contributed 11% of the Nation’s GDP in 2016, creating 11.8 million jobs.
“These significant achievements have strengthened Indonesia’s resolve to aim even higher by raising our goals and targets for 2017 to 15 million international arrivals – or a growth rate of 25% – and on to 20 million arrivals in 2019,” the minister concluded.
n the sidelines of the 2017 World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings in Washington DC, United States of America, the Indonesian delegation held a promotional event Voyage To Indonesia (VTI).
VTI is a promotional event of IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings.
As quoted from the official website of the Ministry of Finance, Sunday (4/23/2017) explained that the annual meeting of global financial institutions will be held on October 2018.
"Indonesia will host the event that will take place in Bali," he said.
The delegates represented by the Ministry of Finance and Bank Indonesia (BI) are promoting infrastructure development projects, tourism destinations of Indonesia Pesona, Indonesian art and cultural products and culinary at VTI outlets.
Meanwhile, the annual meeting of IMF and World Bank members to be held in the Nusa Dua, Bali Complex is expected to be attended by 15,000 delegates from 189 countries.
Participants consist of the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank, delegates from global and regional economic cooperation institutions, representatives of civil society, private and academic institutions, and media from all over the world.
The largest conference in the world will also attract international attention and is believed to encourage the realization of an equitable and sustainable growth of Indonesia's economy.
Quang Ninh’s Party Committee’s Communication and Education Commission says the province is cracking down on travel agencies and guides to improve the image of local tourism.
The province is famous for its national world heritage site of Halong Bay that draws millions of domestic and foreign tourists annually.
According to a Vietnam Net Bridges’ report that quoted the commission head, Cao Tuong Huy, three travel agents were fined and their international travel business licences revoked.
However, the report did not identify the three travel agents.
The authorities also imposed total fines of VND386 million (USD17,000) on 58 tour guides, halted the operations of 16 shops selling sub-standard or fake goods to Chinese tourists and punished four others for trade violations.
Travel companies are selling sub-standard services and cheating tourists prompting tough action by authorities.
State management agencies and the travel business community have fixed the floor price of each four-day three-night tour at VND1.7 to VND2 million (USD74.8 to USD88), according to the provincial Tourism Department vice director Le Minh Tan.
“The move will ensure tourism quality, while protecting travellers’ interests… further inspections will be carried out based on tour contracts to ensure sound management of international tours.”
The People’s Committee of Mong Cai city (Quang Ninh province) recently withdrew business licences from eight shopping malls as part of the efforts to clean the tourism business environment, the report added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the province People’s Committee vice chairperson, Vu Thi Thu Thuy, to inspect souvenir shops and business centres which, according to local media reports, advertised as “only serving Chinese tourists” in the city.
The city’s People’s Committee is now reviewing all licences in a bid t crackdown on malpractice mainly by travel agencies.
“We have to create quality and ensure travel agents who represent such an important industry are up to standard and are not cheating tourists… the standards are low and travel agencies lack ethics, which is damaging tourism.”
Media reports claimed Quang Ninh province’s Tourism Department’s tourism inspectors issued 43 fines for violations of travel business regulations since early this year.
Quang Ninh is home to the World Natural Heritage of Halong Bay, hundreds of national relic sites and several famous resort cities such as Halong, Van Don, and Mong Cai.
According to the Department of Tourism, Quang Ninh currently has 157 accommodation establishments from one to five-star ratings, along with 47 travel firms and nine beaches for tourists.
The province welcomed 8.3 million tourists in 2016, a 7% increase year-on-year, including 3.5 million foreigners.
Destination Asia Vietnam recently hosted a series of hosted high-end retail travel agent trips from the US following a growing interest in the market for luxury itineraries featuring Vietnam.
For many of the travel agents it was their first visit to Vietnam and Destination Asia wanted to show them authentic travel experiences using local knowledge.
The groups visited a variety of destinations including, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An in central Vietnam and the capital Hanoi.
The UNESCO World Heritage area of Halong Bay was also on most itineraries.
Destination Asia Vietnam showcased their newest range of ‘local gems’ introduced earlier this year. The travel experiences include sampling a range of local cuisine (prepared by traditional vendors) from Pho and seafood pancake to locally brewed ‘craft’ beers and rice wine.
Another hit was the Vespa food tour through districts of Ho Chi Minh where only locals frequent.
Destination Asia Vietnam general manager, Ian Clark, commented: “Following market trends for experiences that reveal the true cultural fabric of the country, our efforts are focused on delivering uncontrived product that allows travellers to bond with a destination on a fundamental and natural level.”
Destination Asia were the first destination management company to specialize in Indochina operations and the first Asia based travel company owned by its employees. Since their establishment in 1996 they have developed a network spanning 11 countries.
Friday, 22 January 2016
INDONESIA: Foreigners To Be Allowed To Invest In Tourism Sector With Full Ownership of Bars, Cafes, Restaurants
Foreigners will be allowed full ownership of bars, cafes, restaurants and sport centres as the country seeks to expand its tourism sector, the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said in a statement. Foreign ownership in such businesses is currently capped at 49-51%.
"This is to boost investment in tourism, which is one of our priority sectors," Franky Sibarani, the investment board chief, said in the statement.
Jakarta is currently revising its "negative investment list" - a list of sectors restricted to foreign funds. The finalised list is expected to be completed by April.
It will also allow greater foreign ownership in other tourism-related businesses, such as golf courses, health spas, convention centres, hotels and travel agencies.
Indonesia, a chain of some 18,000 mostly tropical islands, attracted 8.8 million foreign visitors in January-November 2015.
That represented a 3.2% increase from the same period a year earlier but was still only one-third of the numbers who visited nearby Thailand.
Last year, Indonesia's government removed visa requirements for visitors from 84 countries making a short visit and is working to give visa-free entry to more nationalities in a bid to attract more travellers.
Rules for foreign investment in the film industry will also be relaxed, Triawan Munaf, the head of the creative economy agency, said, with cinemas, film production and distribution, and technical services open to all.
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
INDONESIA: Indonesia Welcomed 5.47 Million Visitors In 7 Months of 2015
Visitor arrivals to Indonesia are increasing, but not at the rate that the country’s tourism officials would like.
According to the latest data from the country’s National Statistics Agency, Indonesia welcomed 5.47 million international visitors in the first seven months of the year, 2.7% more than the same period in 2014.
But the pace of growth is slowing. Last year, Indonesian arrivals increased 7.2% to 9.44m, and the government has set an ambitious target of welcoming 20m international visitors by 2019. If the current growth rates continue, the country will not come close to hitting this figure.
Despite this, Indonesia’s Tourism Minister, Arief Yahya, remains optimistic – at least of reaching the 10m visitor target for 2015.
“Indonesia recorded 4,657,817 foreign tourist arrivals in the first [half of 2015] comprising 47% of the 10 million target set for the year. We are optimistic that the target will be realised this year,” he was quoted saying by the Antara news agency.
For July 2015, Indonesia welcomed 814,233 international visitors, up 4.8% year-on-year.
According to the latest data from the country’s National Statistics Agency, Indonesia welcomed 5.47 million international visitors in the first seven months of the year, 2.7% more than the same period in 2014.
But the pace of growth is slowing. Last year, Indonesian arrivals increased 7.2% to 9.44m, and the government has set an ambitious target of welcoming 20m international visitors by 2019. If the current growth rates continue, the country will not come close to hitting this figure.
Despite this, Indonesia’s Tourism Minister, Arief Yahya, remains optimistic – at least of reaching the 10m visitor target for 2015.
“Indonesia recorded 4,657,817 foreign tourist arrivals in the first [half of 2015] comprising 47% of the 10 million target set for the year. We are optimistic that the target will be realised this year,” he was quoted saying by the Antara news agency.
For July 2015, Indonesia welcomed 814,233 international visitors, up 4.8% year-on-year.
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