Interview

‘We want to work with Indian travel associations’

With about 17,508 islands, most of them still unnamed, Indonesia is among the most exotic neighbours that India has. Tito Dos Santos Baptista, Consul General Of The Republic Of Indonesia, Mumbai, speaks with Express TravelWorld about its India strategies.

Tito Dos Santos Baptista

What strategies are you employing to promote Indonesia here?

Our visa-on-arrival policy that started in August 2005 has made an instantaneous impact on arrivals. The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Mumbai is now planning various programmes to promote Indonesia in India like:

• Buyer-seller meets amongst the Indonesian and Indian travel agents
• Invitations to travel and tour operators from Indonesia to participate in outbound travel fairs held in India
• Road shows to be arranged through our ministry of culture & tourism and various Indonesian tourism boards in major cities of India in the form of cultural events, etc
• FAM tours to Indonesia for tour operators, MICE organisers, etc.

Any particular plans for the Indian travel agents?

On the sidelines of Expo Indonesia 2007, the ministry of culture & tourism, in co-operation with Consulate General of The Republic of Indonesia, Mumbai, had organised 'Focus Group Discussion (FGD)' chaired by the head of the Centre for Research & Development, Department of Culture & Tourism, whose officials interacted directly with the Indian tour operators and travel associations, outbound tour exhibition organisers and the media. Its objective was to get views and suggestions with regards to the Indonesian tourism promotion.

The consulate also wants to work in close co-operation with travel and tour associations of India like TAAI, TAFI, Indian Hotels & Restaurant Associations, operators, outbound travel mart organisers, outbound tourism marketing agencies and other related agencies.

Since every travel and tour operator has its own market characteristic, we would like to invite the Indian tour operator to observe our travel and tourism industry along with a wide range of hotel selections - from three-stars to five-stars as well as boutique and special class hotels and restaurants, so that they may experience a comprehensive spectrum of Indonesian tourism facilities. We want participants to choose the best option of tour package to fit the demand of their customers by having direct observation. We will arrange business meeting with Indonesian airlines, the local government and our tour operators during the trip to provide a direct contact for the participants.

Are you promoting any specific regions?

Our five priority regions to be promoted are West Sumatra, North and South Sulawesi, West Nusatenggara and East Nusatenggara that support the promotion of Bali and Yogyakarta. The Indonesian ministry of culture & tourism has recently formed directorate of MICE under the directorate general of tourism marketing. The new directorate is tasked to increase conventions and meetings by 50 per cent in 2007 to reach 300 this year, which was up from some 200 conventions held in 2006 in Indonesia's main conventions destinations of Jakarta, Bali and Yogyakarta.

Indonesia finds substantial interest and growth in MICE business and looks at India as one of the emerging markets and we want to offer India in attractive packages at attractive prices.

What are the highlights of Indonesia as a destination?

Indonesia, a diverse nation of over 200 million people offers everything from value for money tour packages to the exotic eco-tourism, a world-class tropical underwater world, international class hotels and convention venues, and for the more adventurous a journey to the habitat of the fearsome komodo dragons. It is interesting to know that in 1970, Indonesia had 13,000 islands and in a span of 30 years, the Indonesian archipelago is now composed of 17,508 islands, most of them yet unnamed.

Bali has been confirmed as the host city for the PATA Travel Mart 2007, which will be held in Bali from September 25-28, 2007 and is expected to attract 1,500 sellers and buyers from around the world. Headquartered at the Bali International Convention Centre (BICC) in Nusa Dua, the event on the Asia Pacific travel industry calendar moves to a new host destination each year.

Indonesia has had a long association with PATA...

Indonesia is a proud member of PATA, having hosted numerous PATA events in the past. We are honoured to host PATA Travel Mart in 2007. The event is instrumental to the ongoing recovery of the tourism industry in Bali and throughout the Indonesian archipelago. The Indonesian government assures each and every prospective delegate of a memorable and productive Pata Travel Mart 2007. The ministry has indicated its plans to promote special interest tours, including golf, community-based tourism, eco-tourism, village tours and marine tourism at the mart.

Do you have other events lined up this year?

Tourism Indonesia Mart and Expo (TIME) or 'Pasar Wisata' will also be held in Bali this September. TIME is the premier tourism event in Indonesia, in which top industry policy makers, practitioners, sellers and buyers of Indonesian-based tourism products and services participate. With the slogan 'Meet all of Indonesia under one roof', TIME accommodates the interests of those who sell Indonesia's tourism products and services to international markets. The event will feature most of Indonesia's tourist attractions which include all popular destinations and special interests as well as top tourist facilities in the country. As Indonesia's only international annual tourism trade show, TIME 2007 will bring together international tourism fraternity and Indonesian tourism industrial players to meet under one roof.

How would you rate the recently held Expo Indonesia 2007?

Expo Indonesia 2007 was the first ever Indonesian event, organised by the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia during its existence in Mumbai since last 55 years. One of its main objective was to enhance relations between the two countries through trade, tourism and investment, and providing avenues to promote Indonesian business in world market, especially amongst the small and medium enterprises to the global Indian market under the accredited jurisdiction of Indonesian Consulate General, Mumbai and the Indian territory as a whole.