Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has expressed its commitment to intensifying its active roles in the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) forums.v

"Indonesia lauds the well-established cooperation between the Indonesian Embassy in Madrid and UNWTO," Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Hermono noted in a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Madrid received here on Tuesday.

Ambassador Hermono also praised the UNWTO and offered support to the organization to make ongoing approaches through active participation in the meeting of the UN agencies to draw greater attention to tourism, so that it is viewed in the UN area as a means to supporting the achievement of MDGs goals as well as contributing to the efforts of environmental and cultural preservation.

"Indonesia ranks tourism as one of the main drivers of economic development. It is apparent from the position of the tourism sector as the second-largest non-oil and gas revenue for Indonesia," the Indonesian ambassador to Madrid to the secretary general of the UNWTO stated.

The Indonesian Embassy in Madrid was Indonesia`s Permanent Representative to the UNWTO.

Since becoming a UNWTO member in 1975 until now, Indonesia has played active roles in various meetings, working group meetings, and task force in mainstreaming tourism in the global agenda, including during the sessions of the Executive Council and General Assembly.

Indonesia currently serves as chairman of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific.

The Indonesian Embassy in Madrid also announced 19 new tourism destinations, introduced by Indonesia: Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Tanjung Kelayang in Bangka, Mandalika in NTB, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi, Morotai in North Maluku, and Labuan Bajo in NTT as well as the four destinations in Java of the Thousand Islands of Jakarta, Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Borobudur in Central Java, and Bromo-Tengger-Semeru in East Java.

In the last three years, the number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia has continued to increase.

In 2017, a total of 14,039,799 tourists were recorded, increasing by 21.88 percent as compared to 11,519,275 tourists in 2016.

The UNWTO continues to play active roles in Asia and Pacific, focusing on several important issues, including improving travel facilities, reducing barriers, catering to the need of infrastructure, ensuring transportation and other infrastructure are appropriate and in line with tourism demand, improving flight connections, and promoting sustainable growth.

EDITED BY INE/H-YH

Reporter: Azis Kurmala
Editor: Otniel Tamindael
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