Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Hotel Indonesia Group (HIG) has set a target to manage 60 hotels throughout Indonesia by 2018.

State-owned hotel enterprises PT Hotel Indonesia Natour, PT Patrajasa, and PT Aero Wisata have consolidated their hotel chain operations under the name of HIG.

"Currently, HIG manages 48 state-owned hotels," President Director of Patrajasa, Muhammad Haryo Yunianto, stated here on Tuesday.

HIG was intended to become the biggest hotel chain in the country, following an increasing number of tourists from within and outside the country.

HIG will rebrand its image, and the rebranding will be conducted this year.

He noted that PT Hotel Indonesia Natour and PT Patrajasa had collaborated to support the supply chains, human resources, and hotel management.

Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini M. Soemarno earlier remarked that the group would highlight Indonesian hospitality to be in line with international standards, delivered by well-trained human resources.

The government, under President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), is resolved to advance the country?s tourism sector by setting a target to increase foreign tourist arrivals by about 100 percent in five years in 2019.

Starting its tourism program in 2015, Jokowi?s government has set a tourist arrival target of 10 million in 2015 and succeeded to exceed the target, with 10.4 million tourists visiting the country that year.

Based on data of the Tourism Ministry, it was also successful in exceeding the 12 million target in the following year, by recording arrivals of 12.02 million tourists. Yet, the Central Bureau of Statistics noted that the number of foreign tourist arrivals in 2016 was only 11.52 million.

However, last year, the government failed to meet its target of 15 million visitors as it only booked 14.04 million foreign tourist arrivals.

Now, it has to work hard and make all-out efforts to meet its target of 17 million tourists this year and 20 million next year.

The strategy that the government is applying this year includes changing its tourism marketing pattern by applying a market zoning system.

(UU.A063/INE)
(UU.A063/A/KR-BSR/A014)

Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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