TEMPO.CO, Banyuwangi - The Indonesian Embassy in Sweden will promote Indonesia's new tourist attractions to tourists in Sweden and surrounding nations. To that end, the Indonesian Ambassador to Sweden and Latvia, Raden Bagas Hapsoro, is doing a tour to look for potential tourist destinations.
On Wednesday, January 27, Bagas visited Banyuwangi, East Java. The ambassador will also visit Aceh, Manado, and Palu. From the results of his visit, the Indonesian Embassy in Sweden will introduce Indonesia's new tourist attractions to the Swedes.
Bagas said the number of Swedish tourists visiting Indonesia is still relatively small. In 2013, for example, only 27,600 Swedes visited Indonesia.
Bagas said that Swedish people that travel in Indonesia mostly go to Yogyakarta, Bali and Sumatra. "People from Sweden love ecotourism," he said in Banyuwangi yesterday.
Banyuwangi, Bagas said, has a number of interesting locations that can be marketed in Sweden. Some of Banyuwangi's most interesting places are Mount Ijen, Alas Purwo National Park, and the Meru Betiri National Park. Banyuwangi was given the UNWTO Award by the World Tourism Organization for its innovations in developing tourism potentials.
Banyuwangi acting regent Zarkasi welcomes the ambassador's plan to promote Banyuwangi tourism to Western Europe.
Bagas said Indonesia has the opportunity to attract tourists from Western Europe, who have incomes per capita of around 47,000 euros. Winter in Western Europe can last up through six months. "For winter holidays, Western Europeans generally prefer to travel to outside of their countries," he said.
IKA NINGTYAS
