Indonesia’s minister of tourism and creative economy, Mari Elka Pangestu, has been outlining her priorities for boosting regional tourism ahead of the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Vientiane in January.
She said the key challenges in promoting ASEAN as a single tourist destination were connectivity, tourism infrastructure and a common ASEAN visa for international visitors.
"To attract more tourists to ASEAN, we should improve connectivity and accessibility by road, sea, air, and rail, within the region," the minister said.
"In my opinion, we should prioritise strengthening domestic, regional and international connectivity and developing tourist destinations through cooperation in infrastructure building, both soft and hard infrastructure."
Particular attention should be paid to the cruise sector, said the minister.
"In order to get the cruise sector activated across ASEAN, we have a work plan that should be done by the ASEAN member states: developing cruise infrastructure; developing itineraries and routes; promoting ASEAN cruises at international trade and consumer fairs; and collaborating with international cruise organisations and associations."
The minister said Indonesia was in the process of completing five ports that could accommodate vessels with a size of 320 metres by the end of 2013 – Sabang, Belawan, Jakarta, Surabaya and Benoa (Bali).
"An additional three ports which are able to accommodate cruise ships of very large capacity at anchor – Lombok, Tanah Ampo, and Komodo – will also be completed by 2014," she said.
