Ex-tourism head takes a swipe at uneven promotion of Indonesia

JAKARTA – The former executive director of the Indonesian Promotion Board, Wuryastuti Sunario, has made a critical assessment of the state of Indonesia’s tourism promotion efforts.

The article appeared in Media Indonesia and was translated by Bali Update (www.balidiscovery.com)

Here are extracts from her article.

“In 1999, Indonesia attracted around five million foreign tourists or 14 percent of all tourism arrivals to ASEAN. Meanwhile Singapore garnered 21 percent, Malaysia 24 percent and Thailand 26 percent.

“Seven years later in 2006, Indonesia’s share of all ASEAN arrivals has dropped to 8.6 percent while Singapore earned a 17.1 percent share and Thailand 24.4 percent.

“In late October of 2007 the World Economic Forum (WEF) published a competitive index for tourism. That index placed Indonesia at the 60th ranking, behind Singapore at No. 8, Malaysia No. 31 and Thailand No. 43.

“This is the reality that Indonesia must confront. WEF’s competitive index looked beyond the mere natural beauty, cultural attractions, prices competitiveness and competitive business practice of a destination.

“Indonesia’s ranking as 60th worldwide in terms of tourism competitiveness was statistically based and also contemplated TV media perceptions, both abroad and within Indonesia, that the country is less than safe, dirty, unhealthy, etc. – all negative factors acting as disincentives for tourists considering a visit to Indonesia.

“But, to be frank, in addition to external factors, there are also internal problems plaguing Indonesian tourism’s ability to be globally competitive.

“The management clout of Indonesian tourism by the Department of Culture and Tourism has lost much of its strength through the transfer of tourism development powers to Indonesia’s many autonomous regions and districts, which now number around 450.

“These regions have been unprepared to accept this responsibility. For example, the destination of Lake Toba (North Sumatra) is under the supervision of no less than eight regencies.

“Pramaban temple is in one part of Central Java while another is part of the Special District of Yogyakarta.

“Similarly, Mount Bromo, the Dieng Plateau and a number of other destinations are being held “hostage” among a number of competing autonomous regions.

“Meanwhile, the regions in Indonesia are currently more interested in tourism as a source of local tax revenues and payments rather than in how to professionally manage their destination to meet tourists’ expectations and maintain global competitiveness.

“From the aspect of national management of its tourism assets, the country is currently fragmented into hundreds of autonomous units providing uneven levels of service, declining product quality standards, and sub-standard security and safety guarantees to both domestic and international visitors.

It is therefore the duty of the Government together with the House of Representatives (DPR) to reconfigure the hundreds of tourism management units into a single and very solid national tourism destination called “Indonesia” that will be able to compete internationally.”

The full article can be read at http://www.balidiscovery.com