VIVAnews – It is predicted that the tourism sector will exceed the seven-percent-target of economic growth, hitting 10 percent.
“The tourism, which includes hotels and restaurants, will averagely grow above ten percent per year if the regulation supports,” said Head of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurants Association (PHRI) Yanti Sukamdani in Jakarta last weekend.
Therefore, it is estimated that 14 million foreign tourists and 275 million domestic tourists will visit various spots in Indonesia by 2015.
Sukamdani added that the regulations must be improved if they want to reach the target, such as by establishing a ministry specially focusing on the tourism board, managing the air transportation mainly on the foreign flights, improving a supportive infrastructure, fixing the visa on arrival regulation, and giving governmental support considering the promotion budget is still one-tenth compared to the Malaysian tourism promotion budget.
“Other than these issues, the Law on Labor must also be revised because it has caused foreign investors to think twice to invest considering the unavailability of incentive and stimulus for them,” she added.
The 400-percent-luxury tax on imported liquors is seen as a heavy burden in the hotels and restaurants sector.
Indonesian tourism still possesses many spots to be revealed such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, or Manado. “[Tourism] must not only rely on natural landscape, but should include [trade] to improve the economy,” she said.
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Translated by: Ariyantri E. Tarman
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