VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

(voinews.id) The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) noted that foreign tourist visits to Indonesia in December 2022 totaled 895,000 visits. In total, foreign tourist visits to Indonesia in 2022 will almost reach 5.5 million visits. In this regard, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno, Monday (6/2) in Jakarta revealed that the total number of foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia had increased by 251.28 percent compared to 2021. The foreign tourists with the highest visit rates were from Singapore, Malaysia , Australia, Timor Leste and India.

"The number of foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia which we initially projected at 5.2, the recorded numbers eventually reached almost 5.5 million visits, up 250% compared to 2021. Who is in the lead. Singapore first 20.55%, Malaysia 17.98%, Australia 11.42%, Timor Leste 8.4 and India 5.61%," said Sandiaga.

Sandiaga Uno added that the increase in foreign tourist arrivals was accompanied by an increase in the occupancy rate of star-class hotel rooms, by almost 57% compared to 2021. The average length of stay of guests was recorded at around 1.62 days, according to Sandiaga, also up compared to the previous year. 

In increasing foreign tourist visits to Indonesia, Sandiaga continues to encourage the ministry actors to create more innovative tour packages and add direct flights.

He will also introduce 5 Super Priority Destinations to foreign tourists, by carrying out current promotions through product placements.

"Indonesian products that are in demand, such as coffee, Indonesian culinary, there is also fashion that will be displayed in New York, later we will promote these super-priority destinations. Also through digital promotion through the Markom team which will encourage a more targeted and segmented approach, so that awareness of the 5 DSPs will increase in the markets we are targeting," said the minister.

On this occasion, Sandiaga also responded that Hong Kong had reopened its territory to foreign tourists. The Hong Kong Tourism Board is now promoting the Hello Hong Kong campaign and offering 500,000 free air tickets.

According to him, this does not make it a challenge, but an opportunity by offering direct flight packages from Hong Kong to Indonesian destinations, because Hong Kong and Indonesia destinations have very different attractions.

"Second, we want to emphasize as much as possible that there is a Proud to Travel Indonesia program, there is a possibility that if we cannot boost the movement of 1.4 billion domestic tourists, there will be a net out of our tourists, more Indonesian tourists traveling abroad than foreign tourists. who came to Indonesia. We must respond to this in a collaborative and innovative way. so that we can still attract foreign tourists but can encourage domestic tourists to be proud of traveling in Indonesia," said the minister. (VOI/Thiodor)