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Tag: travel

  • Indonesian weekend event in London successfully promotes tourism

    Indonesian weekend event in London successfully promotes tourism

    A two-day tourism event called “Indonesian Weekend” held in Potters Fields Park, London, Great Britain, on May 28 to 29 was considered successful in promoting the Wonderful Indonesia brand, an official stated.

    The Indonesian Weekend was part of the Wonderful Indonesia brand awareness campaign, Nia Niscaya, assistant to a deputy in the tourism ministry, noted here, Monday.

    Garuda Indonesia Airways also supported the event and offered special fares on certain routes, such as London-Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Lombok.

    The ministry has always participated in the World Travel Mart, which is routinely held in London in November, according to Niscaya.

    The number of British tourists to Indonesia reached 230,315 in 2014 and increased to some 270 thousand in 2015.

    This year, Indonesia hopes to attract 300 thousand British visitors.

    During the January-March 2016 period, the country received a total of 67,750 British tourists, or an increase of 28.54 percent from 52,708 tourists during the same period last year.

    Niscaya was optimistic that this years target would be achieved through the promotion of the Bali and Beyond tourism program.

    Ambassador of Indonesia to the United Kingdom Rizal Sukma officially kicked off the Indonesian Weekend showcasing the countrys arts and culture, here, Saturday.

    Highlights of the event included performances of Javanese dances by famous artist Ninik Thowok, Silat traditional martial art by Cecep Arif Rahman, traditional bamboo musical instrument by Arumba Saung Udjo, East Nusa Tenggara traditional music instrument Sasando by Ivan Nestorman, Javanese gong ensemble gamelan by Lila Bhawa, and an Islamic fashion show.

    The festival also offered Indonesian culinary delicacies as well as handicraft and fashion products.

    Initiated by Bangga Indonesia Ltd and Ditali Cipta Kreatif, the event is supported by Elzatta Hijab, the tourism ministry, and the Indonesian embassy in London.

    Other sponsors were the industry ministry, cooperatives and SMEs ministry, and the education and culture ministry in cooperation with the regional administrations of Central Java, Central Kalimantan, Bandung, and Malang.

    Some of the Indonesian culinary dishes offered during the event were Soto Ayam (chicken soup), chicken and lamb satay, Padang satay, Bakso (meat ball soup), Somai, Rendang, and Yogya Gudeng.

    A cooking demonstration featuring Master-Chef Indonesias jury, Degan Septoadji, and Chef Gede Susila Yadnya of Balis Potato Head Club Bali was also the highlight of the tourism promotion event.

  • Demand for inflight broadband in APAC hits new heights

    Demand for inflight broadband in APAC hits new heights

    Airlines in Asia-Pacific are seeing soaring demand for inflight broadband service, with a majority of passengers in the region expecting to have such services onboard, a new survey said.

    The survey, conducted between August 2015 and March 2016, garnered respondents from more than 9,000 passengers in Asia, Australasia, Europe, and Central and South America who had taken a short, medium or long haul flight in the past year and carried at least one personal device onboard the aircraft.

    According to the survey, conducted by Inmarsat and market research firm GfK, nine out of ten respondents from the region say the availability of onboard connectivity would influence their choice of airline, while over two thirds are willing to pay for the service.

    Meanwhile, 54% and 57% of Asia Pacific passengers would choose inflight broadband as a preferred service in short-haul and long-haul flights, compared to only 16% and 18% choosing traditional in-flight entertainment (IFE) as their preferred onboard service.

    Business flyers are even more likely to recognize the value of paying for high-speed onboard connectivity than vacationers, with 74% of business travelers surveyed indicating they are willing to pay more for faster inflight broadband compared to 62% of leisure travelers.

    The survey revealed that 64% of passengers felt that in-flight broadband can deliver all of their onboard entertainment needs. This highlights an opportunity for airlines to use in-flight broadband to increase ancillary revenues, as the majority of passengers are willing to pay for the service, with 68% of passengers under 34 years old and 55% of passengers over 45 years old willing to pay for unlimited internet usage during a flight.

    When it comes to the quality of the inflight broadband service, passengers are most concerned about reliability (that a connection does not drop out or cut off), availability (that the connection is available throughout the flight), and speed of the connection.

    Inflight WiFI reliabilityThe survey showed that quality is even more important than price in Asia Pacific, as passengers are prepared to pay more for a quality service. Some 72% of flyers in Asia Pacific would prefer not to use broadband that is of poor quality with 62% stating they would pay more for faster in-flight broadband

    “Our survey has highlighted a growing appetite for fast, reliable and consistent broadband in the air, with more than half of Asia-Pacific passengers preferring in-flight connectivity over a meal or traditional IFE,” said Bill Peltola, Asia Pacific regional director at Inmarsat Aviation.

    “Although three-quarters of Asia Pacific flyers would like to try onboard broadband in the future, only 3% of aircraft operating in Asia Pacific today offer the service, highlighting the potential for airlines to use it as a differentiation point to attract more customers.

    The inflight broadband connectivity survey

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  • Sabang Festival expected to attract 30,000 tourists

    Sabang Festival expected to attract 30,000 tourists

    The Third Sabang Festival is expected to attract 30 thousand tourists to visit Weh Island, Head of Sabang Culture and Tourism Zulfi Purnawati has stated. The festival will be held from May 21 to 25.

    “In 2015, as many as 20 thousand tourists visited Sabang during the festival, and this year we have targeted 30 thousand tourists,” Zulfi Purnawati said here Saturday.

    During the Sabang Fair, the exhibition of appropriate technology will be also conducted.

    “As a result, some 23 contingents from the district/city will participate in the event. We are optimistic that 30 thousand tourists will visit Sabang,” Purnawati remarked.

    The implementation of the fair was intended to promote tourism in Sabang as well other destinations in Aceh district.

    Purnawati expected the contingent to utilize the annual event as part of its efforts to promote tourist destinations across Aceh.

    Delegations from North and West Sumatra will also attend the festival.

    Meanwhile, entrepreneurs in some ASEAN countries have expressed readiness to attend the festival.

    Secretary Administration of Sabang Sofyan Adam, who is also the executive chairman of the festival, said that all contingents should confirm their participation.

    “The committee has launched the enrollment drive and all contingents should report to the committee. We have also coordinated with the Sabang branch of state-owned ferry operator PT ASDP Indonesia to help with the implementation of the festival,” Adam remarked.

    Earlier, the Ministry of Tourism (kemenpar) of The Republic of Indonesia stated that the success of tourism really depends on the presence or absence of comfort and hospitality of the community towards tourists at the location.

    “The comfort of a tourist is the main factor which should be of concern to a region while developing the concept of tourism. It is not just a discourse,” Directorate General, Based on Media, Design, Science and Technology in the Tourism Ministry, Harry Waluyo said here Monday.

    He stated this when opening a training course on human resources improvement for tourism at the Dharmas Indonesia University in Pulau Punjung.

    The first impression for a tourist during his or her first visit depends on the service from the local community, and that is why one needs human resources with good manners, according to him.

    “Do not let illegal fees damage tourism, that is the weakness of our community all this time while welcoming tourists,” he said.

    “Develop tourism which other regions do not have, so that there will be a main attraction for tourists,” he explained.

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  • Foreign Travel Agencies Expanding into Yogyakarta

    Foreign Travel Agencies Expanding into Yogyakarta

    The competition in travel agency business is getting stiffer in the wake of the free trade agreement of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The free trade agreement implementation has seen foreign travel agencies competing directly with local agencies, including in Yogyakarta.

    “Foreign travel agencies have been expanding into Yogya in the past two years,” said Edwin Ismedi Himna, Counsellor of Asita Associatoin of The Indonesia Tour & Travel Agencies (Asita) Yogyakarta.

    He said that the foreign travel agencies are originated from Korea, Japan, the United States and France.

    The free trade agreement implementation will see foreign travel agencies handle both domestic and overseas vacation packages. “Local agencies are being left behind despite efforts [to compete] by setting competitive or cheaper prices,” Edwin said.

    According to Edwin, of 190ish current member travel agencies incorporated in Asita Yogyakarta, only 30 percent are still handling  European and American tourists. “Most agencies prefer to keep targeting Asian tourists that are deemed to have more potential by exploiting short-haul destination programs,” he said.

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  • Tourists claim tour rates in Raja Ampat expensive

    Tourists claim tour rates in Raja Ampat expensive

    Some tourists have assessed that the tour rates offered in Raja Ampat, West Papua, were expensive, and it was feared to affect other travelers keen on visiting this tourist area.

    “Raja Ampat is much more beautiful than Bali, but the tour rates are also more expensive as compared to Bali,” Sami Ninggoroh, a tourist of Indian descent who visited Raja Ampat along with some Japanese tourists, stated on Tuesday.

    According to Ninggoroh, the rates of the Raja Ampat tour should be reconsidered as it is quite high, and the high prices will have a major impact on the number of visitors to the area.

    “We have ever been to Bali and found that the services offered there were better, and the travel rates were cheaper as compared to Raja Ampat,” he pointed out.

    Further, Ninggoroh opined that tourists visiting Bali will certainly want to revisit it, but ironically, visitors to Raja Ampat will think twice to return as it is quite expensive.

    He noted that besides being costly, there were other issues in Raja Ampat that should be addressed, especially with regard to the services, so every visitor will feel comfortable and will crave to come back.

    “The services offered by the people of Bali to the tourists are very good as they highly value the tourism sector. They serve the tourists as best as possible, and the same thing should also be applied in Raja Ampat,” he emphasized.

    Ninggoroh stated that Raja Ampat, as a marine tourism attraction, was already popular across the world, but the offered tourism packages should be made cheaper, so that tourists would yearn to revisit the region.

    “The local governments must lower the tour rates and improve the tourism supporting facilities, so Raja Ampat is thronged by as many visitors as Bali,” he added.

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  • Indonesia to promote cruise, yacht destinations in Korea

    Indonesia to promote cruise, yacht destinations in Korea

    The Ministry of Tourism will promote Indonesian tourism destinations, especially for cruising and yachting, at the Seatrade Cruise Asia 2016 to be held on May 12-14 in Busan, South Korea.

    During the cruise industry exhibition, the government will introduce Indonesias best cruising and yachting destinations, Deputy of International Marketing Development of the Ministry of Tourism I Gede Pitana stated in a press release here on Thursday.

    The ministry will inform the international companies and yacht owners of the governments step to increase tourist arrivals by simplifying the approval procedure for yachts entering Indonesian waters through the Clearance Approval for Indonesian Territory system.

    “The process to issue an entry permit will take only one hour,” Pitana noted.

    The government is prioritizing 10 yachting destinations, such as Tanjung Kayang Belitung, Tanjung Lesung, Seribu Islands, Mandalika Lombok, Labuhan Bajo, Wakatobi, and Morotai, in which marinas have been built to accommodate yachters.

    For cruise tourism, the five major ports of Belawan in Medan, Tanjung Priok in Jakarta, Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, Benoa in Bali, and Soekarno-Hatta in Makassar will serve as the entry gates to Indonesia.

    Eight marine tourism companies of Indonesia are also participating in the Seatrade Cruise Asia 2016.

    Moreover, the government is promoting its visa-free policy for Korean citizens by advertising its campaigns in the local media and through catalogs placed in Korean high-speed trains.

    The guests at the exhibition will be able to enjoy the performances of Indonesian dancers and several varieties of Indonesian coffee at the Wonderful Indonesia booth at the Seatrade Cruise Asia 2016.

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  • AirAsia Indonesia to end Bali-Kota Kinabalu services

    AirAsia Indonesia to end Bali-Kota Kinabalu services

    AirAsia Indonesia will end its thrice weekly Bali-Kota Kinabalu services, effective June 23.

    In a statement, AirAsia Bhd chief executive officer, Aireen Omar, said this was due to the stagnant market growth and insufficient revenues to offset the costs.

    “The operational costs have also increased quite substantially for AirAsia’s operations at Terminal 1 Kota Kinabalu International Airport,” she said.

    Following the termination of the services, the low-cost carrier said it would offer three options for the affected customers.

    The passengers could reschedule their journey with the latest flight on June 21, 2016, depending the availability of seats, it said.

    “They could also opt for creditshells which can be used as payment towards any AirAsia tickets or products and they are valid for six months or 180 days from the date of issuance,” it said.

    AirAsia said it would also offer a full refund of the amount equivalent to customer’s booking.

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  • Indonesia welcomes first Hilton Garden Inn

    Indonesia welcomes first Hilton Garden Inn

    Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Worldwide’s upscale global brand of hotels, today announced its entry into Indonesia with the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Bali – Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali. Owned by PT. Anggada Duta Realty Tbk., the hotel brings 291 new rooms to the Hilton Garden Inn brand.

    ‘We are proud to open our first Hilton Garden Inn in Bali, Indonesia – one of the most popular business and leisure destinations – and welcome it to our global portfolio of over 665 hotels,’ said John Greenleaf, global head, Hilton Garden Inn. ‘We are committed to growing our presence in Asia Pacific and to providing a welcoming and dependable hotel experience for every guest, every time. Hilton Garden Inn Bali – Ngurah Rai Airport will do whatever it takes to ensure every guest to Bali is satisfied, or they don’t pay – that’s our Satisfaction Promise.’

    Only 500 meters away from the island’s international airport, Hilton Garden Inn Bali – Ngurah Rai Airport is situated at a prime location to offer travelers a great launch pad to discover Bali from the moment of arrival. Conveniently located at Jalan Legian, the hotel is approximately five kilometers’ drive away from the well-known Kuta beach precinct which boasts a wide array of retail, dining and entertainment options. Hotel guests arriving from the airport can expediently check in and immediately head out to Kuta, and the other famous enclaves such as Ubud, Nusa Dua and Seminyak, to explore the beauty of Bali.

    ‘Marking our fourth brand in Indonesia, the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Bali – Ngurah Rai Airport perfectly complements our existing portfolio in the country,’ said William Costley, vice president, Southeast Asia and India, Hilton Worldwide. ‘I am excited that Hilton Garden Inn has made its debut in this world renowned destination and am confident that the hotel will offer visitors to this vibrant island a peaceful and energizing stay experience.’

    Guests can dine on-property at The Garden Grille and Bar, which offers a full cooked-to-order breakfast and dinner, cocktails*, and evening room service. The Pavilion Pantry is open 24 hours and features a complete selection of salty snacks, sweet treats, cold beverages, and ready-to-cook meals.

    Outfitting to business purposes and MICE, the hotel also features a total of six small- to medium-sized meeting rooms, one multi-function hall, and one ballroom. Hilton Garden Inn guests will see why Life’s Better at the Garden through amenities and services offered at each location, including complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, 24-hour business center with Print Spots remote printing, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a bar and an outdoor pool.

    All 291 guest rooms boast the brand’s signature bedding featuring fresh, white duvets and crisp linens; a spacious and clutter-free work desk with an ergonomic desk chair; and an in-room ‘hospitality center’ with a mini fridge and coffee/tea maker.

    Hilton Garden Inn Bali – Ngurah Rai Airport participates in Hilton HHonors the only hotel loyalty program that allows members to earn Points & Miles on the same stay and No Blackout Dates on reward stays. To celebrate the hotel’s opening, Hilton HHonors members will receive Double Points per stay on the best available rate through stays completed between May 1 and July 31, 2016. HHonors members always get the lowest price with its Best Price Guarantee, along with HHonors Points, free Wi-Fi, digital check-in and no booking fees only when they book directly through Hilton.

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  • Garuda Indonesia Denpasar Aims for 10% Growth

    Garuda Indonesia Denpasar Aims for 10% Growth

    PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. Denpasar Branch Office has targeted a 10 percent growth this year compared to 2015.

    Micky Irfandi, General Manager of Garuda Indonesia Denpasar Branch Office, said he is optimistic of achieving the target through a wide range of efforts, though he admitted that Q1 2016 sales has yet to show any positive signal.

    “In Q1 2016, we actually saw a decrease of 14 percent compared to the same period last year. One of the factor that affected the decrease was unstable global economy, which has made people and companies or agencies to be more efficient,” Micky said, Monday, April 18, 2016.

    Based on the data of Bali Statistic Agency, the number international departure from I Gusti Ngurah Rai airport in February 2016 was 2,423 flight departures. The figure was down by 2.73 from previous month of 2,491 flights.

    For domestic flights, the number of aircraft departed from I Gusti Ngurah Rai airport in February 2016 was 3,067 flight departures, or fell by 7.15 percent compared to the previous month of 3,303 flight departures.

    Moreover, Micky went on, another factor which has affected the growth figure was fuel price decrease which has forced his company to readjust ticket prices.

    “Fuel price decrease has resulted in lower ticket prices and it has reduced our revenue compared to previous figure,” Micky said.

    Garuda continues to launch various promotional efforts to attract foreigners to travel to Bali in line with the company’s support for the government program of 20 foreign tourist visits by 2019.

    “We continue to carry out various efforts to support the government programs also by opening new routes recently and increasing the number of seats for Denpasar-Hong Kong route. The route was previously using 737-800 aircraft with a capacity of 162 seats; we replaced it with A333 aircraft with 251 seats and adding 89 seats,” he explained.

    Micky added that Garuda is also mulling on increasing flight frequency of Denpasar-Beijing and Denpasar-Shanghai routes from three flights per week to four or five flights.

  • Garuda Indonesia Holds Travel Fair on April 29

    Garuda Indonesia Holds Travel Fair on April 29

    Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will hold the Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair (GATF) event starting from April 29 until May 1, 2016 at the Jakarta Convention Center. The event will be held in cooperation with Bank Nasional Indonesia (BNI).

    “Garuda wants to help passengers prepare their trips with an affordable price,” said A. Toni Soetirto, Garuda Indonesia Commerce Director at Plaza Arcadia Senayan on Tuesday, April 19, 2016.

    Toni said that the GATF will also be held to support the government’s effort in promoting Indonesia’s tourism sector by providing flights to newly developed tourism destination.

    Selfie Dewiyanti, Garuda Indonesia’s Marketing Vice President said that all flight routes will be made available throughout the event. “We guarantee that ticket prices sold in the exhibition will have the best price throughout the year,” Selfie said.

    In addition to Jakarta, the GATF event will be held simultaneously in 14 other cities, including Bandung, Medan, Pekanbaru, Jambi, Semarang, Solo, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, Manado, Timika and Jayapura.

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  • Swiss-Belhotel International extends Indonesian footprint with opening of Swiss-Belhotel Jambi

    Swiss-Belhotel International extends Indonesian footprint with opening of Swiss-Belhotel Jambi

    Swiss-Belhotel International continues its growth in all segments of the Indonesian hospitality industry with the opening of the four-star Swiss-Belhotel Jambi, Central Sumatra.

    The hotel is the first international property in Jambi with an impressive grand ballroom with seven-metre high ceilings, capable of hosting over 1,200 guests.

    The opening ceremony was led by the Mayor of Jambi, H. Syarif Fasha, ME who was accompanied by PT Selaras Jaya Indah Hotelindo President Commissioner Bapak Begawan Kamto, Swiss-Belhotel International Chairman and President Mr. Gavin M. Faull and Senior Vice President of Operations and Development Mr. Emmanuel Guillard.

    Swiss-Belhotel International Chairman and President Mr. Gavin Faull said: “Swiss-Belhotel International is delighted to welcome Swiss-Belhotel Jambi to our global portfolio of hotels and further strengthen our business in Sumatra.”

    Swiss-Belhotel Jambi offers 136 rooms with a minimum size of 31 square metres.

    “The property is ideally located in the business district and caters ideally to the local business community as well as leisure travellers who can now enjoy international standards of hospitality and service in the city.”

    As well as offering extensive function space, Swiss-Belhotel Jambi, boasts the largest lobby in town, extensive parking, rooms starting at a minimum size of 31 square metres and exceptional dining experiences highlighted by The View Café and signature rooftop outlet, Resto.

    The 136-room Swiss-Belhotel Jambi offers international standard amenities and facilities including individual air-conditioning units, in-room refrigerators, an IDD/NDD telephone system, laptop size in-room safety deposit box, tea and coffee making facilities, wifi internet access, in-room dining, five meeting rooms and ballroom, swimming pool, gym and business centre.

    Strategically located in the central business district, the hotel provides convenient access to a variety of local attractions, shopping malls and culinary options, making it an ideal choice for business or leisure travellers to Jambi.

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  • Indonesia grants visa free entry to Sri Lankans

    Indonesia grants visa free entry to Sri Lankans

    Indonesia has granted visa-free facility to 169 countries including Sri Lanka under a new visa regulation. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has signed Presidential Regulation concerning Visit Visa Exemption early last month adding 79 countries to the list.

    Indonesian immigration office said passport holders of these countries are exempt for having a visa to enter Indonesia.

    “The visa exemption is valid only for 30 days, non-extendable or convertible into another kind of stay permit,” immigration office said.

    “Foreigners from 169 countries can enter and exit Indonesian Territory through 124 Immigration Checkpoints in airports, seaports and land border.”

    The visa exemption facility can be used for tourism, family visit, social visit, art and cultural, government duty, to deliver a speech or attend a seminar, international exhibition, meetings with head office or representative office in Indonesia, or transit.

    If the 30 days of Visit Visa Exemption facility feels insufficient, visitor still can apply for Visa on Arrival (given for 30 days and extendable for another 30 days) or Visit Visa.

    The 169 countries, special administrative regions of a country, and entities are:

    Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Commonwealth of Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See (Vatican City), Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao (SAR of China), Macedonia, Madagascar, Maldives, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

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  • Samsonite profits up in 2015 but outlook ‘uncertain’

    Samsonite profits up in 2015 but outlook ‘uncertain’

    Luggage giant Samsonite on Thursday warned its outlook for this year was “uncertain” owing to the growth slowdown in key market China and a stronger US dollar.

    The firm said in a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that despite a tough trading year, it saw net profit rise 6.1 percent to $197.6 million last year thanks to record revenues of $2.43 billion.

    “Our business has emerged stronger from 2015… despite various headwinds around the globe,” chairman Timothy Charles Parker said in the statement.

    However, chief executive Ramesh Dungarmal Tainwala said the outlook for 2016 “remains uncertain, with challenging trading conditions expected in a number of our key markets including China, and the negative currency translation impacts from the strong US dollar expected to continue affecting our business”.

    The world’s second-largest economy expanded 6.9 percent in 2015, the worst performance in a quarter century and a far cry from the years of double-digit increases. The country’s luxury market also took a hit from a years-long corruption crackdown.

    “It is undoubtedly the case that the days of 20-30 percent growth in China are over,” Parker said.

    Shares in the company ended the morning session 1.54 percent up at HK$26.30 Thursday.

    The warning comes after Samsonite earlier this month said it would buy US luxury bag maker Tumi in a deal worth $1.8 billion, which analysts said would provide a foothold in the still-lucrative high-end market in China.

    The move follows the purchase last year of airport retailer Rolling Luggage and Italian accessories seller Chic Accent.

    Parker said the Tumi deal is expected to close in the second half of the year subject to shareholder and regulatory approval.

    “Tumi is a perfect complement for our business… We believe we are buying a strong, profitable and well-run business, with considerable flair and success behind it in the American market,” he said.

    Samsonite raised $1.25 billion in an initial public offering in Hong Kong in June 2011, one of several Western brands — including Prada and Esprit — seeking to use the city to boost their presence in fast-growing Asian markets, particularly China.

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  • Indonesia Sees Tourist Visit Increase in Early 2016

    Indonesia Sees Tourist Visit Increase in Early 2016

    Three big events namely, the Lunar New Year, cross-border promotion of Wonderful Indonesia Festival and total solar eclipse have boost the number of inbound tourists, particularly from China.

    I Gde Pitana, Deputy of Marketing Development of Foreign Tourism (Deputy BP3M) of Tourism Ministry, said that the majority of foreign tourists from China spent the Lunar New Year holiday in early February by visiting Bali as favorite destination, most of them came from Beijing and Heilongjiang Province using chartered planes.

    “People from those regions, which temperature were under 15 degrees celcius at that time, preferred to celebrate the Lunar New Year at warm places such as Bali,” he said.

    During the Lunar New Year, 23,000 tourists from 11 cities in China came to Bali using 65 units of chartered AB330 aircraft.

    Foreign tourist visits through Immigration Checkpoint of Bandar Bintan Telani (BBT) in Lagoi stood at 8,700 people, whereas 580 Chinese tourists visited Sulawesi to spent their winter holiday.

    The number of foreign visitors in January 2016 were 814,303, rose by 3.6% compared to the same period in 2015 of 785,937 foreign visitors. Besides China, Singapore and Europe are among the top countries on the list of countries of origin of foreign tourists.

    Pitana also hoped that total solar eclipse on March 9 could boost this year’s number of foreign tourist visits to Indonesia which is targeted to reach 12 million people.

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  • China Takes Over Australia’s Domination of Bali’s Tourist Arrivals

    China Takes Over Australia’s Domination of Bali’s Tourist Arrivals

    Chinas tourists have taken over the domination of Australian tourists who so far top the list of foreign tourist arrivals in the Indonesian tourist resort Island of Bali.

    “I have predicted that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Bali will increase after the government provides them with a visa-free facility and the opening of smooth direct flights to China,” Tourism observer Dewa Nyoman said here on Sunday.

    This condition has been observed since in the past several months. Moreover, the economic conditions in Australia are not conducive of late, he said.

    In the meantime, he said, the Chinese economy is relatively encouraging now.

    Indonesian flag carrier Garuda has also expended its flight routes linking Denpasar with Shanghai after it has previously opened a flight route that connected Denpasar with Beijing and Guangzhu in 2015.

    It seems that Garuda Indonesia is focusing on its flight expansion in China as the countrys foreign tourists which conduct overseas trips are large reaching some 100 million.

    He said that based on the records of Balis Tourism Service, the number of Chinese tourists arriving in Bali increased by 30 percent in the first months of 2016, topping the foreign tourist arrivals list.

    In the January-February period, a total of 189,594 Chinese tourists arrived in Bali, up from 145,747 in the same period in 2015.

    In January – February 2015, the number of Chinese visitors in Indonesia was still recorded in the second position.

    The Australian tourists holidaying on the island of Bali in the January – February period this year declined by 0.96 percent to 154,892 people. In the same period in 2015, the number of Australian visitors were recorded at 156,395.

    Japanese tourists occupied the third place with 39,371 visitors recorded last January and February, down 2.89 percent from 40,544 in the same period last year.

    Duwa Putra expressed convince that this year the number of Chinese tourists will continue to increase, replacing the domination the Australian tourists. After all, the volume of flights from Australia is increasingly limited.

    Besides, Garuda also services passengers with its routes covering Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai via Denpasar and Jakarta.

    The numerous flights facilitate the desires of young Chinese who want to spend their honeymoon in Bali, he said.

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