TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Hundreds of domestic and foreign travel agents are spending their time in Lombok since Sunday, April 19, 2015 to attend Lombok Travel Mart 2 held by the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) chapter of the Indonesian Association of Tourism Employers (ASPPI), the Regional Tourism Promotion Agency (BPPD) and the West Nusa Tenggara chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI).

The travel agents, including those from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, met with 47 tourism business owners in NTB to be offered tourism packages. Jasnawadi Wirajagat, the chairman of the ASPPI NTB chapter, said his institution was ready to achieve 40 percent of the projected two million visits to West Nusa Tenggara this year.

“Each of the travel agents is expected to bring a family of four,” Jagat said.

According to Jagat, NTB has gained popularity in Malaysia since direct flights from Kuala Lumpur and Johor to NTB have been available.

"We invited them to bring the market to the destination,” he said.

To convince the travel agents, they will be taken to visit tourist destinations in south of Lombok, including Selong Belanak, Bumbang, Mawun, Kuta and Tunak beaches.

NTB BPPD head Taufan Rahmadi said similar promotions will be held for travel agents from China, Korea and the Middle East.

SUPRIYANTHO KHAFID