Chinese Tourists Very Potential

Beijing, May 21 (Antara) - Indonesian Ambassador to China and Mongolia Imron Cotan has said Chinese tourists are very potential to contribute to foreign exchange earnings to Indonesia`s tourism industry. "In the next five years, around 400 million Chinese people are expected to make overseas travels. This is a huge opportunity for Indonesia`s tourism," Ambassador Cotan said here on Tuesday in his written speech read out by Indonesia`s Deputy Representative to China Wisnu Pratignyo, when launching a Bandung tourism road show in China, May 19-26, 2013. The number of Chinese tourists to Indonesia has increased, but it is still considered very small compared to the number of Chinese tourists visiting other ASEAN member countries. "In 2011, some 775,000 Chinese tourists visited Indonesia, and the number rose to 850,000 in 2012, with Bali as the main destination, followed by Jakarta and Yogyakara. The number, however, is much smaller than 1.5 Chinese tourists that visited other ASEAN member countries," he said. The government of Indonesia, which has many and varied tourist objects, has set a target of attracting one million Chinese tourists in 2013. All stakeholders, both in Indonesia and China, must increase tourism promotion in order to help achieve the target, the ambassador urged. Chairman of China`s National Tourism Administration Shao Qiwei said at least 80 million Chinese people traveled abroad and spent around US$102 billion. At the average, every Chinese tourist abroad spent US$169 per night, or the sixth largest after tourists from Japan (US$190), Swiss (US$182), Australia (US$177), the US and Norway (respectively US$174). The main destinations of Chinese tourists are Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore. Other destinations include Indonesia, European nations, the US, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.