VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

More than 15.81 million tourists visited Indonesia last year, up 12.58 percent from 14.04 million a year earlier, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said quoting data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

"In December 2018 alone, the number of tourists visiting Indonesia was 1.41 million, increasing 22.5 percent from 1.15 million in December 2017," he said in a written statement released on Sunday.

Malaysia led tourist arrivals in Indonesia last year with 2.50 million, accounting for 15.83 percent of the overall tourist arrivals.

With the 2.50 million tourist arrivals, Malaysia took over China which ranked second with 2.14 million or 13.52 percent of the total.

The tourism ministry listed five countries as top five sources of tourist arrivals in Indonesia last year. They were Malaysia with 2.50 million or 15.83 percent, China with 2.14 million or 13.52 percent, Singapore with 1.77 million or 11.19 percent, Timor Leste with 1.76 million or 11.15 percent, and Australia with 1.30 million or 8.23 percent.

More than 5.45 million of the overall tourist arrivals in 2018 came from other ASEAN member states, increasing 20.60 percent compared to 4.52 million the year before. Meanwhile, the number of tourist arrivals from Asia other than ASEAN was 5.84 million, growing 14.11 percent compared to 5.12 million in a year ago.

The number of tourist arrivals from the Middle East reached 226.9 thousand, declining 6.13 percent from 284.4 thousand.

Tourist arrivals from Europe contributed 2.008 million to the total, up 1.76 percent from 1.97 million, while those from America contributed 567.7 thousand, up 5.71 percent from 537 thousand.

The number of tourist arrivals from Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and other Oceania countries) reached 1.57 million, representing a 4.43 percent increase compared with 1.50 million. Australia led the number of tourist arrivals from Oceania with 1.3 million, up 3.52 percent from 1.25 million.

Africa contributed 88.6 thousand to the overall tourist arrivals, declining 2.82 percent from 91.2 thousand.

The tourist arrivals in 2018 fell short of the government-set target of 17 million for the year. However, the amount of foreign exchange earnings from the tourism sector is estimated to have increased significantly.

A series of natural disasters hitting several parts of Indonesia particularly main tourist destinations was responsible for the failure to achieve the target of tourist arrivals.

The natural disasters included a series of earthquakes in Lombok, earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Palu and tsunami in Sunda Strait. (ANTARA)

The Indonesian Police Headquarters has recommended a routine patrol along the Indonesia-Malaysia sea border, particularly in Nunukan district in the Indonesian province of North Kalimantan.

The patrol is in response to the recent arrest of an Indonesian citizen from Nunukan district by the Malaysian police for allegedly farming seaweed in the Malaysian waters.

The Indonesian citizen was arrested for violating state borders and failing to produce immigration documents or a passport, Lt. Col. Anwar of the Indonesian Police Headquarters task force said in Nunukan, on Friday.

The arrest of the Indonesian citizen has drawn attention from the government, which later discussed it at a meeting of the National Defense Force (TNI) and the Indonesian Police (Polri) in Jakarta.

Based on information received by the Indonesian Police Headquarters, the government will help settle the case, particularly after the North Kalimantan governor issued a regulation on the spatial seaweed farming zone, he said.

Therefore, police and military personnel should routinely patrol the sea border between the two countries, he said.

"I came here due to the arrest of a seaweed farmer in Nunukan by the Malaysian police some time ago," he said.

He expressed hope that similar incidents would not recur and seaweed farmers would comply with the regulation.

If they do not abide by the regulation, the police and military will take stern measures against them in accordance with the regulation, he said. (ANTARA)

The General Election Commission (KPU) has appointed eight panelists, comprising academicians and NGO activists, for the second presidential candidate debate to be held on Feb 17, 2019.

The panelists consisted of six academicians and two NGO activists, Wahyu Setiawan, commissioner of KPU, said here on Thursday.

The six academicians are the rector of the Sepuluh November Institute of Technology (ITS/Surabaya), the rector of the Bogor Institute of Bogor (IPB), an academician from the University of Airlangga (Unair/Surabaya), an academician from the University of Gajah Mada (UGM/ Yogyakarta), an academician from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), and academician from the University of Diponegoro (Undip/Semarang), respectively.

The two NGO activists are respectively from the Indonesian Environmental Forum (WALHI) and the Consortium for Agrarian Development.

The following is the list of the panelist:

1. ITS Rector Prof Dr Eng. Mochamad Ashari MEng

2. IPB Rector Dr. Arif Satria.

3. WALHI Executive Director Nur Hidayati

4. Prof. Dr. Ir. Irwandy Arif, M. Sc (ITB),

5. Ahmad Agustiawan ST M.Sc.Ph.D (UGM)

6. Sudharto P Hadi (Undip).

7. The Consortium for Agrarian Development (waiting for confirmation for the panelist`s name)

8. Unair (waiting for confirmation for the panelist`s name).

Indonesia will hold simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on April 17, 2019. (ant)

Indonesian Tourism Minister, Arief Yahya along with Banyuwangi Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas launched Banyuwangi calendar of event "Majestic Banyuwangi Festival 2019" at Balairung Soesilo Soedarman, Sapta Pesona building Jakarta on Tuesday night (30/1). Met after the event, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya explained his consideration to make Banyuwangi as a tourism special economic zone.

"There were 77 events in Banyuwangi last year and Tourism Ministry has stated Banyuwangi as the best festival city in Indonesia. Now we are having a survey to know how much the impact for the people's economy. The case is the more festivals are held in Banyuwangi, the more prosperous the people of Banyuwangi will be. There are also foreign investors present here tonight. They will invest in Banyuwangi. We also hope Banyuwangi will be one of better and more developed tourism special economic zones.” said Arief Yahya.

The decision of making Banyuwangi as the best festival city is in accordance with the development of events in Banyuwangi which grows rapidly and involves whole elements of society so that it increases the people’s welfare. Banyuwangi Regent, Abdullah Azwar Anas said according to a survey conducted by Bank Indonesia, 76 percents of foreign tourists visited Banyuwangi last year. The number becomes a measure for the regional government to continuously improve tourism facilities needed by the tourists. (VOI/NK/AHM)