MALAYSIA CONSTITUTES INDONESIA'S LARGEST TOURISM MARKET

By Ahmad Fuad Yahya

JAKARTA, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- Malaysia constitutes Indonesia's largest tourism market with one million of 6.4 million tourist arrivals until November this year.

Bandung is Malaysians preferred destination for shopping sprees or golf
trips.

Australia is a close second with 600,000 tourist arrivals followed by China
(400,000), said Indonesia Culture and Tourism Department director-general Sapta
Nirwandar.

Indonesia Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Waci said the Indonesian tourism
revenue dropped by 12.3 per cent to USD$6.4 billion (USD$1 = RM3.42) this year
compared to last year while domestic tourism contributed USDS12.8 billion.

About 40 per cent of the revenue is contributed by
Meeting-Incentive-Conference-Exhibition (MICE) activities despite two bombings
in July.

Jero Wacik said the highest tourism revenue of USD$7.3 billion was recorded
in 2008.

He said Indonesia aimed at attracting seven million foreign tourist arrivals
in 2010, up by eight per cent in revenue to USD7 billion while domestic tourism
was targeted to contribute AS$13 billion.

The republic will spend USD$130 million next year to woo foreign and local
tourists.

Tourist arrivals in Indonesia this year were affected by the bombing of two
luxury hotels in the capital which claimed nine lives.
-- BERNAMA