Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian has begun to tap the Philippine tourism market as part of its efforts to expand its tourism business in ASEAN, a tourism official said.
"We have begun tapping the Philippine tourism market this year. We will conduct a number of tourism promotion activities in the Philippines next September," Deputy Director for ASEAN region of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Chrismiastutie, said here on Tuesday.
She said that in September, her side will conduct a stringed musical concert and tourism promotion in the Philippine capital Manila.
Chris said that in November Indonesia would conduct a road show and sales mission in two Philippine most potential cities of Manila and Cebu.
"The market potential in the Philippine is pretty good and still could be developed," she said.
In 2010, the number of Philippine tourists arriving in Indonesia was recorded at 50,493, and in 2012 it is expected to increase to 62,247.
"Holding frequent events and sales missions is a main means of exploiting the market in the Philippines," she said.
The number of Philippine tourists visiting Indonesia is still lower than that of Malaysia or Singapore yet Chris is convinced it will increase with holding various promotions in the Philippines.
This year, Chris hoped 3.2 foreign tourists from ASEAN would come to Indonesia.
She said that so far the ASEAN countries have contributed the largest number of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia, where in 2010 of the 7 million foreign tourist arrivals, 2.5 million came from ASEAN.
Indonesia mainly focuses on Singapore and Malaysia where in 2010 a total of 1.128 million and 1.034 million respectively came from these two countries.
Therefore, Chris is adopting four marketing strategies namely taking part in tourism bourses, sales missions, holding Indonesian festivals and optimizing Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO).
(Uu.A014/HAJM/H-YH)
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