Indonesia to participate in IMEX America 2016 to promote its Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry to international professionals. Held in Las Vegas from October 18th to October 20th 2016, the USA’s largest meetings industry trade show attracts thousands of professionals from America and other parts of the world who want to gain great opportunities for doing business, networking and education.
For this purpose, the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia will engage nine tourism industries to join this global event with lots of interesting programs the Indonesia Pavilion.
According to Nia Niscaya, Tourism Ministry’s director for promotion in Europe, the Middle East, America and Africa, IMEX America is a potential event for Indonesia to promote its MICE industry to attract professionals from the US market.
“To attract visitors, our pavilion will serve Indonesia’s traditional cuisines and coffee. They can also take pictures with the Wonderful Indonesia team members wearing carnival costumes,” she said.
Indonesia’s participation in IMEX America is expected to help the country’s MICE industry to get exposed and to enable international business travelers to know more of its potential.
Meanwhile, Deputy Tourism Minister for International Promotion I Gde Pitana said a greater growth of MICE industry will be good for a country’s economy. Therefore, every country, including Indonesia, has been working hard to attract lots of business travelers to hold meetings, exhibitions, and incentive travels in it.
“The visitors traveling for MICE purposes give advantages compared to leisure travelers because they are generally opinion leaders, like business people, professionals or government officials who come to the destination countries during low season,” Pitana said.
According to the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) data, those traveling for MICE-related activities tend to come in groups in which their spending is greater seven times than leisure travelers. But, they potentially become leisure travelers as well, he said.
The destination image is getting increased as a result of these MICE travelers because they are generally decision makers, including companies’ president directors. Their word-of-mouth marketing about the countries that they have visited will give greater impacts on promotion.
A lot of countries have been aware of the advantages of this MICE industry for their tourism sector. As a result, competition among destinations for international MICE events has been so tight, Pitana said.
The Performance of Indonesia’s Tourism
The Ministry of Tourism is targeting 12 million International-Tourist Arrivals in 2016. In order to achieve the target, Indonesia has implementing significant strategies related to regulations, marketing and promotion budgets, as well as infrastructure and destination development. Indonesia has highly been proactive in attracting international tourists to experience all the Wonderful Indonesia has offered.
- Regulation
Indonesia has been proactive in simplifying regulations to make them easier for all visitors to come to experience richly diverse tourist destinations by themselves. The entry visa requirements for citizens of 169 countries who want to visit Indonesia have been waived in order to offer “Visa free” for tourists.
Besides that, the government has also issued new regulations to attract more yacht to enter Indonesia by revoking the Clearance Approval for Indonesia Territory (CAIT). Thus, it is predicted that there will be 5,000 units of yacht by 2019, generating USD $500 million in revenue.
Another breakthrough that the Indonesian Government has done is revoking Cabotage regulation for cruise ships in 5 major ports in Indonesia, namely Belawan – Medan (North Sumatera), Tanjung Priok -Jakarta, Tanjung Perak – Surabaya (East Java), Benoa – Bali,Soekarno-Hatta, Makassar. Therefore, the cruise passengers can easily embark and disembark in those ports.
- Marketing and Promotion
The government increases the budget for marketing for 300% in 2016 compared to that of last year. It emphasized on marketing communication to all channels (online, electronics, OOH, as well as printed media) in cooperation with major PR agencies, tourism search engine, social media, and all platforms.
The Tourism Ministry will also maintain its participation in trade shows, sales mission in the focus market and fam-trips for media, travel agents, and association to see, feel and experience the hospitality of the Wonderful Indonesia.
- Infrastructure and Destination Development:
- Indonesia’s Tourism Product Portfolio:
- Culture (60%)
- Nature (35%)
- Ecotourism (45%)
- Marine Tourism (35%)
- Coastal zone (60%)
- Sea zone (25%)
III. Underwater zone (15%)
- Adventure Tourism (20%)
- Man-made (5%)
- Priority Tourism Destination Development
In 2016, the government has developed 10 prioritized destinations, namely Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Tanjung Kelayang in Belitung, Mandalika in South Lombok, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi,Morotai in North Maluku, Thousand Islands in Jakarta,Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Borobudur Temple in Central Java, Mount Bromo in East Java, and Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara.
- Connectivity and Accessibility Enhancement
Developing new airports in 15 secondary cities; improving 27 airports’ capacity by extending runways, renovating passenger terminals in 13 airports, and developing new seaports.
For further information, please check www.indonesia.travel ***
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