• Home
• /
• Business

Indonesia launches new destinations for Arab travellers

Udin Saifuddin, deputy of marketing, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said Lombok and Sulwesi would be promoted as new destinations for the Arab travellers "These destinations are ideal for the Arab tourists," he said at the Indonesian Solo Exhibition which opened yesterday.

He said his ministry has put a five-year plan in place to help increase its tourism from the Middle East by seven per cent annually. One of the first steps on the cards is the launch of regular flights to Dubai by the national carrier Garuda. Currently, Garuda flies only to Riyadh and Jeddah.

"Negotiations are on for Garuda to fly to Dubai by the end of this year, increasing the number of flights out of this region. We have good connections from the region with Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait Airways, Saudia and Yemen airlines flying to Indonesia," he said.

Saifuddin said there was a slight drop in tourist arrivals from the region in 2002. He said the country's tourism sector is now recovering and hoping to increase its share of tourism from the region.