INDONESIA is experiencing an exponential rise in India inbound numbers, giving rise to a growing segment who are keen on discovering new destinations beyond Bali, such as Yogjakarta, Lombok, Bandung and Jakarta.

According to Statistics Indonesia, Indonesia received 168,122 Indian visitors in 2011, a 22.7 per cent jump over the 137,027 recorded the year before. Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is targeting 185,000 Indian visitors this year.

Sanjay Kothari, director and CEO of Just Holidays Kolkata said: “Our clients are now discovering destinations beyond Bali. Yogyakarta is becoming popular because of interest in the Borobudur and Prambanan temples, and also the Java batik handicrafts. We foresee healthy growth in numbers.”

Rajesh Sethi, managing director of Carnation Travel Services New Delhi said: “Bali is garnering increasingly higher numbers of Indian travellers. Indian weddings and honeymoons held in Nusa Dua and Ubud have always been popular.”

“We are now incorporating Lombok and cruises to adjoining islands into our itineraries,” he added.

Tour operators cited Indonesia’s 30-day visa-on-arrival for US$25 as one of the main reasons for the rise in Indian leisure inbound. Moreover, cheap airfares offered by AirAsia from India to Bali and Jakarta, via Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur respectively, were additional pull factors.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is planning to organise roadshows as part of its marketing strategy for India, as well as develop online training programmes for Indian travel consultants.

SMALL Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) will open a representative office in Shanghai in the second quarter, as part of efforts to boost the hotel consortium’s presence in China.

Besides appointing Weber Shandwick as its public relations agency in China, other efforts to tap the China market include participating in this year’s International Luxury Travel Market Asia in Shanghai and China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market in Beijing.

A number of roadshows in major urban centres including Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing have also been scheduled.

According to Brandon Chan, director of sales – Asia Pacific, SLH, the majority of guests staying in SLH hotels in China originate from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Singapore.

On the other hand, the group’s Chinese clientele head mostly to European destinations such as Paris, Rome, Milan and London, with the majority choosing to embark on multi-city itineraries.

“China is one of the largest and fastest growing markets for us here in Asia,” said Chan, who expects SLH bookings for the Asia-Pacific region to grow by 10-15 per cent this year.

“An emerging affluent middle class is fuelling the strong growth in (Chinese) demand for luxury hotels and products.”

“More Chinese, especially those in the 30 to 40 age band, are venturing outside Asia, and are exploring exotic destinations such as the Maldives,” he added.

So far, four hotels in China have been added to SLH’s portfolio this year – one each in Yunnan, Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing.

A SLEW of new land-based services have boosted the number of options available to budget travellers looking to commute between Thailand and Laos.

Thai domestic LCC Nok Air introduced a new Fly ‘n’ Ride service from Bangkok to Vientiane on March 14. The service consists of a budget flight from Bangkok to Udon Thani, followed by a coach ride to the Thai Lao Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai—where travellers are processed through immigration before boarding a second bus to Vientiane.

To introduce the new service, Nok Air is offering an all-inclusive online fare of 3,200 baht (US$104) per pax. Compared to a direct flight from Bangkok to Vientiane, Nok Air’s Fly ‘n’ Ride service offers significant cost savings for budget travellers.

Meanwhile, Thai coach operator The Transport Company is planning to launch a new air-conditioned direct bus service from Udon Thani to Vang Vieng in Laos. The service is expected to help develop Vang Vieng from an overnight stop between Vientiane and Luang Prabang into a destination in its own right.

“Our service will not only benefit the tourism industry, but also trading and logistics between Thailand and Laos,” said The Transport Company managing director, Wuttichat Kanlayanamit.

The Udon Thani-Vang Vieng route will be the company’s ninth between Thailand and Laos. The others include Chiangmai-Luang Prabang, Udon-Thani Vientiane, Nong Khai-Vientiane, Khon Kaen-Vientiane, Nakon Ratchasima-Vientiane, Ubon Ratchathani-Pakse, Mukdahan-Savannakhet, and Nakhon Phanom-Thakhek.

Reporting by Chami Jotisalikorn

THE CHONBURI Provincial Administration Organisation, which oversees tourism development in Pattaya, has set a target of 10 million international and domestic visitors and 100 billion baht (US$3.26 billion) in tourism recipts for the resort destination by 2015.

According to figures from Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Pattaya received 8.3 million arrivals in 2010, a 93.1-per cent jump over 2009. For the period January-June 2011, there were 724,273 Thai and 3,070,635 foreign visitors to Pattaya.

“Tourism to Pattaya still has potential to grow,” said Chonburi Provincial Administration Organisation chief executive Vitaya Khunplome, who cited increasing hotel investment as an indicator of the city’s tourism potential.

A total of 5,000 luxury hotel rooms will open in Pattaya over the next three years, with the new developments expanding out of central areas into the neighboring Sattahip and Na Kluea districts along the coast.

Ministry statistics show that Russia, China, Germany, Taiwan and India were the top five international source markets for Pattaya last year.

To tap these markets, the Chonburi Provincial Administration Organisation has set asode a 40 billion baht budget to support tourism events like the Pattaya Countdown and Pattaya International Music Festival, and to participate in international trade shows such as ITB Berlin, SATTE in New Delhi, and Luxury Leisure in Moscow.

Reporting by Chami Jotisalikorn