RI Aims at Trillions in Revenue from AAC
20 April 2015 12:18 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia is likely to collect Rp36 trillion from the estimated 2,500 foreign tourists visiting the country during the 60th commemoration the Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) in Bandung.
“Our nearest prediction is we hope for 2,500 foreign tourists, including delegates, journalists and parade members,” said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya at the Jakarta Convention Center on Sunday, April 19, 2015.
Arief said if each tourist spent some US$1,200, the total revenue would be in the neighborhood of Rp36 trillion. “So it’s not bad,” he said.
Besides foreign tourists, he added, the government also aimed at 100,000 domestic tourists visiting Jakarta and Bandung during the AAC, and that the West Java’s capital would benefit from these visits.
“So Bandung is lucky. As for Jakarta, well, let’s just leave it at that. If Bandung sees 100,000 domestic tourists, the impact will be huge, 100,000 times one million, it can snatch around Rp100 billion,” he said.
According to Arief, the nation targets foreign tourists from multiple countries, including China, Japan, Korea and Egypt. He admitted, however, that Asian-African countries were not among Indonesia’s targets for foreign tourists, allowing for their distant locations.
“[Foreign] tourists are coming because of short distance, affordable prices, and high purchasing power—meaning they have big income. Some countries are far from here and their purchasing power is low.
The AAC kicked off Sunday, marked by a senior officer meeting that revolved around three main issues: Bandung Conference, New Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership and Declaration of Palestine.
Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said the talks would resume at the foreign minister meeting slated for Monday should there be any issues requiring further discussions. “The results will be submitted to the leaders to be adopted,” she said.
ANANDA TERESIA
