INDONESIA’S Ministry of Tourism is investing 15 billion rupiah (US$1.2 million) this year in joint tourism promotions with 21 European tour wholesalers to boost arrivals to the country.
Arief Yahya, Indonesia’s minister of tourism, said: “Tour operators in Europe have a big influence on travellers’ destination choices. Data showed that 70 per cent of European travellers use tour operator services.
“Therefore, it is important that we do hand-in-hand promotions with them.”
I Gde Pitana, deputy minister for international tourism marketing, said: “This is the first joint promotional effort with European tour operators that the tourism authority has done on such scale.
“With the joint promotion agreement, these operators will promote our brand, include Indonesia in their catalogues, websites and social media, and include Indonesia in different events they participate in.”
Pitana declined to disclose the investment of each individual tour operator, but said it was a “50:50” investment scheme.
On the choice of the wholesalers, Ratna Suranti, deputy assistant for international tourism marketing strategy, said: “These wholesalers either have an existing office here or have partnered Indonesian DMCs.
“With the support and assistance from PATA Indonesia Chapter, the ministry has managed to knock on these wholesalers’ doors and formed agreements with 20 tour operators and one online company which does training and campaigns for tour operators in Europe.”
This year, the ministry is aiming for over one million arrivals from Europe. Last year, the continent contributed 893,000 arrivals.
