Indonesia sets 15 mln foreign visitors target for next year

Indonesia has set target to welcome 15 million foreign visitors for next year, expecting the related agencies and stakeholders in tourism sector to have coordinated efforts in accomplishing target of the sector which has been declared as the nation's core business, Indonesia's Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said here on Tuesday.

"The coordinated cooperation among all elements in national tourism industry, collaborated in Indonesia Incorporated, would become our power to accomplish the upcoming 2017 and 2019 targets," the minister said in his remarks to open a national coordination meeting in tourism sector here.

The target set for next year is higher than 12 million ones targeted this year and over 10 million the nation has welcomed last year. The archipelago country has set ambitious target to welcome 20 million foreign visitors target for 2019, double than that of last year.

The minister pointed out that tourism has been set as the leading sector from five pillar sectors prioritized by the current government.

He said tourism sector has been identified to see positive growths in short, mid and long terms if compared to the other four sectors that comprised of infrastructure, maritime, energy and food.

"The consideration to set tourism as the leading sector was based on its significant role and contribution to the nation's development," the minister said.

Through the 12 million foreign visitors target this year, the tourism ministry estimated that the sector would be able to contribute 5 percent to the nation's GDP, capable to create 11.7 million jobs. Endit