"The strategy has been prepared, including (promoting) border tourism," Tourism Minister Arief Yahya stated in Jakarta on Friday.
Border tourism is considered as one of the "ultimate weapons" of the ministry to draw the interest of foreign tourists to visit the archipelago.
In 2018, border tourism had contributed 18 percent of the total number of foreign tourist visits.
This year, it is targeted to increase by 20 percent, or some 3.4 million foreign tourist arrivals.
Developing tourism potential in Indonesia`s border regions is quite effective in bringing in foreign tourists, especially those from neighboring countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Timor Leste.
Their geographical proximity to Indonesia will make it easier, faster, and cheaper to reach various Indonesian tourist destinations.
In order to continue to develop border tourism, the ministry will create new destinations to be promoted through cross-border events.
Since 2017, the ministry has been holding events, including in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara, to attract tourists from Timor Leste.
Cultural events were also held in other border areas, such as Aruk, West Kalimantan; Skow, Papua; and Batam, Riau Islands.
"Of course, in 2019, we will go all-out to hold the festival and music events in the border regions to attract more tourists to visit," Yahya noted.
Reporting by Yashinta Difa Pramudyani
Editing by Suharto
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Suharto
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