We expect Foreign airlines to support

New paradigm with a sense of confidence to compete freely in
market seems strong sweep Garuda Indonesia management. One reflected the attitude that no longer expect the protective privilege. So currently the Chairman of Barindo – Board of (Foreign) Airlines Representative in Indonesia — Arif Wibowo, Senior General Manager of Garuda Indonesia in Jakarta, the the name of the association’s stated desire to agree for all members are used to attract tourists from abroad. He stated it  in a conversation with this TTIspot.

The association’s members, has the potential to be such, provide tickets
for journalists or travel writers, from their respective countries, to
visit to Indonesia. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Depbudpar) in the case could provide the land arrangement: hotels, transportation, and visits to tourist destinations or object, other than interview opportunities. We may prioritize invitations for writers, considering promotion in overseas markets through the writings of the media will reverberate widely. That is, if compared to invite travel agents only. That’s the attitude expressed by Arif Wibowo, he himself general manager of Garuda Indonesia to Jakarta Raya.

He also proposed that the Director General of Tourism Marketing, or even
Minister of Tourism should be willing to expose the tourism plan
for the year 2009. Apparently Marketing Director General of Tourism, Sapta Nirwandar, welcoming and seemed he will implement in the near future.

Barindo is a representative forum of foreign airlines
operating in Indonesia, currently consisting of 29 airlines.

Actually it is common every foreign airlines also
conduct familiarization trip for tour operators in the country,
in order to promote Indonesian destinations, for ticket sales
in the country of origin. Just as the habit of bringing tour operators
to Indonesia from each country, and this for the sake of the main task
of each geneal maneger in Jakarta, which is marketing overseas destinations for ticket sales in Indonesia.

But of course different from the impact and weight, when the Indonesian
officially own the support and cooperation, with the the airline representative in Jakarta. That was emphasized by Arif Wibowo.

Besides, he agreed, Jakarta as a destination is still difficult the market today. Meanwhile, foreign airlines Barindo members, almost entirely to serve only the city of Jakarta. So tactically, invited foreign airlines could add power to promote the destination of Jakarta.

After the travel writers are invited, then the tour operator – the buyers -, certainly can follow from abroad. When facilitated again by
Depbudpar, or with the cooperation from industry, then this activity will
add more promotional power of all that belongs to the original plan
by Depbudpar and tourism industry in Indonesia.

I myself saw additional possibilities. Tourism industries in
Indonesia, hotels and tour operators in Jakarta, for example, can pro-actively search for prospective partners in the producer country of origin of tourists of foreign airlines Barindo members.

In the context of such opinion Arif Wibowo said, final approval at the end
who to be invited, of course, remain on the consideration by
the foreign carrier.

Ministry of Tourism office have signed direct collaboration with
the two airlines Singapore Airlines and AirAsia. Cooperation with the national carrier Garuda Indonesia has a long tradition.

So, now we are waiting for so-so take advantage of mutual cooperation, between

Arif Wibowo

government in this case Depbudpar with more airlines, which will be useful to accelerate improvement of foreign tourists visit.

Such measures seem more urgently needed, given the situation
on international competition in 2009 and on to whip out the threat of economic downturn, and traditional threat of foreign tourists will decrease due to shortage of air carrier seat capacity.