The priority tourism destinations have, until now, been able to serve foreign tourists with the existing conditions. However, it is necessary to improve the quality of infrastructureJakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Angela Tanoesoedibjo spoke of the government augmenting all options to expedite the development of five super-priority tourism destinations, including encouraging foreign investment.
Tanoesoedibjo remarked that the foreign investment option can be pursued by adhering to the rules in Indonesia.
"Not only foreign capital but the ministry of tourism and creative economy is also encouraging domestic private parties to invest in developing five super-priority tourism destinations,” the minister stated.
"All options that offer significant benefits to the community will be maximized," she noted in a written statement in Jakarta on Monday.
Angela highlighted the government’s target to develop infrastructure in the five super-priority tourism destinations: Borobudur, Labuan Bajo, Mandalika, Lake Toba, and Likupang.
The development of infrastructure in the five-super priority tourism destinations should be completed by 2020 in tune with President Joko Widodo's instruction.
"The priority tourism destinations have, until now, been able to serve foreign tourists with the existing conditions. However, it is necessary to improve the quality of infrastructure," she noted.
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To accelerate infrastructure development, the ministry of tourism and creative economy is collaborating and coordinating intensely with the ministry of public works and public housing (PUPR), ministry of transportation, and ministry of state-owned enterprises.
Over 15.81 million tourists had visited Indonesia in 2018, up 12.58 percent, from 14.04 million a year earlier, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya remarked while quoting data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
The tourism ministry listed five countries as top five sources of tourist arrivals in Indonesia last year: Malaysia, with 2.50 million, or 15.83 percent; China, with 2.14 million, or 13.52 percent; Singapore, with 1.77 million, or 11.19 percent; Timor Leste, with 1.76 million, or 11.15 percent; and Australia, with 1.30 million, or 8.23 percent.
Malaysia led tourist arrivals in Indonesia last year, with 2.50 million, constituting 15.83 percent of the overall tourist arrivals.
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Clocking tourist arrivals at 2.50 million, Malaysia overtook China that came second, with 2.14 million, or 13.52 percent of the total.
Over 5.45 million of the overall tourist arrivals in 2018 were from other ASEAN member states, increasing 20.60 percent as compared to 4.52 million the year before. In the meantime, the number of tourist arrivals from Asia apart from the ASEAN reached 5.84 million, rising 14.11 percent in comparison with 5.12 million a year ago.
The number of tourist arrivals from the Middle East reached 226.9 thousand, slumping 6.13 percent, from 284.4 thousand.
Tourist arrivals from Europe contributed 2.008 million to the total, up 1.76 percent, from 1.97 million, while 567.7 thousand tourist arrivals were recorded from the US, a 5.71-percent rise, from 537 thousand.
The number of tourist arrivals from Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and other Oceania countries) had reached 1.57 million, representing a 4.43-percent rise as compared to 1.50 million. Australia led the number of tourist arrivals from Oceania, with 1.3 million, up 3.52 percent, from 1.25 million.
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Translator: Ade Irma, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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