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Tag: travelling

  • Direct India-Indonesia flights necessary to attract more Indian tourists

    Direct India-Indonesia flights necessary to attract more Indian tourists

    The Indonesian Tourism Ministry believes that direct flight from and to India could increase the number of Indian tourist arrivals in Indonesia.

    “The main challenge is direct flights as the existing ones are just transit flights from and to India,” Dody Prianto, assistant deputy director of the Tourism Ministry, noted here.

    Prianto was in Kolkata, India, for a roadshow to promote “Wonderful Indonesia,” the tourism brand of the country, at a hotel in the city, with the objective of attracting more tourists from India.

    He hoped airlines, such as Garuda Indonesia, would be interested in operating direct flights between India and Indonesia.

    To draw more Indian tourists to Indonesia, the ministry is intensifying tourism promotion to introduce other tourist destinations apart from Bali.

    He mentioned Sumatra as one of the interesting places for Indian tourists to visit as it is located near Singapore, and its culinary dishes bear similarities to those in Indonesia.

    The Tourism Ministry has set a target of attracting at least 350 thousand Indian tourists this year.

    “The target is quite high, but we are optimistic that it can be achieved,” Prianto stated.

    During the first semester of this year, a total of 185,911 Indian tourists had visited Indonesia, he said on the sidelines of a sales million event.

  • Over six million tourists visit Indonesia

    Over six million tourists visit Indonesia

    Some six million foreign tourists visited Indonesia since the issuance of presidential regulation number 21 of 2016 concerning visa-free facilities for foreign citizens from 169 countries, an official said.

    While 4,095,264 tourists came from 15 countries which have reciprocal agreements with Indonesia, 2,881,945 tourists came from 144 countries without any such pact with Indonesia, chief of the public relations services of the directorate general of immigration, Heru Santoso, elaborated at a meeting with journalists here on Friday.

    “Admittedly, the figure is still far from the government-set target of 20 million tourists per year, but I believe it will further increase in the future,” he stated.

    He noted that no tourists visited from 10 countries in this list of 169 countries. These ten countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Czech Republic, Gabon, Haiti, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Lesotho, Puerto Rico and Saint Lucia.

    “I think the promotion campaign still needs to be intensified,” he added.

    The directorate general of immigration also handled 135 criminal cases (pro justitia) in the first half of 2016, he said, adding at least three foreign nationals were involved in the cases.

    “They committed immigration related crimes. In 2015, five foreign nationals were involved in such cases,” he informed.

    The office also recorded 4,715 cases of immigration administration violation in the January-June 2016 period. The cases involved 117 citizens from countries eligible for visa-free facilities, he disclosed.

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  • Garuda Indonesia Raking It In During Idul Fitri Holiday

    Garuda Indonesia Raking It In During Idul Fitri Holiday

    Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia filled more seats on its domestic flights during the Lebaran exodus this year, as more people chose air travel to return to their hometown for Idul Fitri.

    The state-controlled airline’s average load factor — which indicates how much an airline makes use of its seat capacity — went up to 74 percent from June 24 to July 5, a day before Idul Fitri, on all of its domestic routes, Benny S. Butarbutar, Garuda Indonesia’s vice president of corporate communication, said on Saturday (09/07).

    Benny did not give a figure for last year’s Idul Fitri holiday.

    Still, the latest figure could mark a turnaround for Garuda. The full-service airline had seen its load factor dip to 69 percent in the first three months of this year, compared to 74 percent in the same period last year, as weak economic growth forced cost-conscious travelers to opt out of the airline’s services.

    Garuda added 32,000 more seats on 132 extra flights, 112 of which are on international routes, between June 24 to July 17 to cater for Indonesians during the annual Lebaran exodus, Benny said.

    “This represents a 35 percent increase in our extra capacity from the same period last year,” Benny said.

    The National Police estimated 17.6 million people made the travel back to their hometown during the Lebaran exodus this year. Ouf of that figure, 4.6 million chose air travel, up 7.6 percent from a year ago as people’s purchasing power has increased and local airlines offer new fleets and routes.

    Air travelers met with relatively few problems during this year’s Lebaran exodus compared to their peers taking land routes, who were met by hellish traffic jams on toll roads across Java.

  • Indonesia is favorite tourist destination for Australians

    Indonesia is favorite tourist destination for Australians

    Data obtained from the Australia Bureau of Statistics revealed that 105,500 Australians visit Indonesia every month, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya noted in a press statement received by us here on Monday.

    The minister said the figure showed that Indonesia was a favorite tourist destination for Australians.

    “The data, which was released a month ago, for the first time revealed that Indonesia was the most preferred tourist destination among Australians,” Arief noted.

    According to the bureau, earlier, most Australians visited New Zealand, with an average of 99,400 tourists per month.

    “This is certainly due to the visa-free policy extended to Australians visiting Indonesia,” the minister remarked, adding that the ministry along with the Foreign Ministry and the Indonesian Consulate General across Australia had promoted the policy in the country.

    The Indonesian tourism branding called Wonderful Indonesia has been promoted in several regions in Australia through various mass media, including social media.

    “Our international openness is assessed by the World Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index as one of the measurable values,” Arief stated.

    The minister believes that the statistical figures were accurate and can be used in tourism development programs.

    The minister said the 10 priority tourist destinations, especially the maritime tourist sites, have been drawing Australian visitors.

    Of the 10 tourist destinations, seven are maritime tourist sites: Tanjung Kelayang in Bangka Belitung, Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi, Seribu Islands in Jakarta, and Morotai in North Maluku.

    The maritime tourist sites are divided into three main zones: coastal, underwater, and sea. The third one is an inter-island tourist zone that can be explored by yacht.

    “Most of the Australian tourists prefer tourist sites in the coastal zone, with waves ideal for surfing. We have several new surfing spots in Banyuwangi, Mentawai, and Nias,” Arief added.

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  • 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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  • 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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  • Komodo Island named Indonesia`s main marine tourist destination

    Komodo Island named Indonesia`s main marine tourist destination

    The Ministry of Tourism has mapped Komodo Island as one of the 12 major marine tourist destinations in Indonesia.

    The other destinations included in the list are Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi, Derawan in East Kalimantan, Raja Ampat in Papua, Nias in North Sumatra, Mentawai in West Sumatra, Ujung Kulon in West Java, Anak Krakatau in Sunda Strait, Tomini in Central Sulawesi, and Bali and Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara.

    “The twelve islands are included in the blueprint of the marine tourism development plan for natural resources and creative economy in promoting the brand Wonderful Indonesia,” Welly Rame Rohimone, acting head of the provincial tourism and creative economy office, stated here on Tuesday.

    Komodo Island, the natural habitat of the Komodo dragon (Varanus kommodoensis), has been selected as one of the new seven Wonders of Nature. The tourist area is ideal for diving and cruise tourism.

    “East Nusa Tenggara will be developed as Indonesias tourism gateway besides Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and ten other islands,” Rohimone noted.

    The Komodo dragon in Komodo National Park can be found on the islands of Rica, Padar, and Komodo.

    “Sail Indonesia, being held since 2009, has also been organized in East Nusa Tenggara in 2013 under the name of Sail Komodo,” he emphasized.

    Komodo Island, with a land area of 390 square kilometers, has a population of over two thousand.

    The island has a beach with sand that appears pink as it contains a mixture of white sand and red sand, formed from pieces of Foraminifera.

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  • Koreans plan ‘Asian Broadway’ in Seoul

    Koreans plan ‘Asian Broadway’ in Seoul

    SK Networks, which proposed utilizing the Cerestar constructing for a brand new duty-free store, plans to develop the Dongdaemun space into an Asian Broadway.

    The retail arm of SK Group, the third largest family-run conglomerate in Korea, already proposed investing 450 billion to 550 billion gained (US$460 to 496 million) in its bid for operation rights to a brand new duty-free store, and as a part of the bid, 200 to 300 billion gained can be invested to assemble infrastructure for trend, tourism and tradition within the area.

    SK plans to take a position 100 to 200 billion gained in infrastructure for a cultural city in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Authorities’s Dongdaemun improvement challenge, which goals to advertise the style, tradition and tourism sectors. As well as, it should supply 10 billion gained to create the most important Media Façade at Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

    SK will pour a further 60 billion gained right into a small enterprise partnership fund to help Seoul’s “Manufacture Seoul” challenge and the Seoul Design Basis’s apprenticeship coaching for style and needlework. It’ll supply a complete of 30 billion gained to revitalise conventional markets in Dongdaemun.

    SK Networks, which operates the Walkerhill duty-free store in northeastern Seoul, will supply conventional market coupons to its duty-free store clients to assist small retailers within the markets.

    As soon as it good points its duty-free store operation license at Dongdaemun, it expects that the world will welcome a further three.three million vacationers per yr and create 33,000 new jobs, leading to three.four trillion gained value of financial advantages by 2020.

    An official at SK Networks stated: “We’ll type a mutual progress system by way of long run funding for the revitalization of the Dongdaemun space. We’ll lead the event of the area as an ‘Asian Broadway’ tradition city by mixing style, tradition and purchasing collectively.”