IMF-WB ANNUAL MEETINGS TO HELP PROMOTE BALI TOURISM by Fardah

Jakarta, Feb 17, 2018 (Antara)- Bali, which has been named as 2017 Trip Advisor's best global destination, has a high expectation of the 2018 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings to be held in Nusa Dua, on October 8-14.     
  More than  5.7  million foreign tourists visited the resort island of Bali in 2017, outstripping the target of 5.5 million for last year, and an increase of 16 percent from 4.92 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2016.

          Bali, one of the world's most famous tourist resorts, hopes to receive at least 6.5 million foreign tourists this year, or one million more foreign tourists than the target of 2017, which was 5.5 million.

       The target at 6.5 million is quite ambitious as normally Bali set an increase of 500 thousand foreign tourists every year.

        One of the factors supporting the higher target is the 2018 International Monetary Fund (IMF) -World Bank (WB) Annual Meetings.  
   "The meeting will have a positive impact on the number of visits by foreign tourists," Head of the Bali Tourism Office Anak Agung Yuniartha Putra said recently.

         Around 12,000 up to 15,000 people are expected to attend the Annual Meetings, including about 3,500 delegates from 189 member countries, roughly 1,000 media representatives, and more than 5,000 participants representing the private sector, the banking community, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and also observers and parliamentarians.      
     The Annual Meetings will also feature side events, such as seminars, investment forum, workshop, and cultural events.

         A key factor in the selection of Indonesia as the host is the fact that Nusa Dua, in Bali, has met the key requirements, with existing conference venues and accommodation facilities, appropriate information technology and audiovisual infrastructure, and convenient local and international transportation.

         The opportunity to host the Annual Meetings brings many benefits to the host country, including increased tourism and investment and business opportunities that last long after the meetings are over.

         Bali will surely make the Meetings a memorable experience now that the island is known for its beautiful nature and unique traditions and culture.

        A series of events commencing the IMF-WB Annual Meetings 2018 have been carried out since 2016,  and are interwoven under the theme "Voyage to Indonesia" (VTI), according to information posted on the website of Bank Indonesia (BI), the country's central bank (www.bi.go.id).

           Causa Iman Karana, head of BI's chapter in Bali, recently expressed his optimism that the Annual Meetings will boost the foreign tourist visits to Bali, and other neighboring tourist destinations such as in West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara Provinces.

        The central bank has estimated that the 2018 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings to trigger money in circulation amounting up to Rp4 trillion.  "This will boost the economy of Bali strongly,"  Karana said.

         The large amount of money will be spent on paying accommodation, transportation, telecommunication charges, and buying food as well as beverages, among others.

         The Indonesian Government has built several infrastructure projects, including an underpass in the intersection near I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, to support the implementation of one of the world's top economic gathering.

         An apron at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has been expanded to enable the apron to provide larger parking area for airplanes.

        During the meetings, activity at Ngurah Rai Airport is estimated to increase to 35 takeoffs or landings per hour from the current 28, with a daily capacity of up to 300 movements.   A tourism port is also being built in Benoa harbor in Denpasar.

        Besides Bali, neighboring East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province is also gearing up for possible visits of the Annual Meetings' participants.

        Marius Ardu Jelamu, chairman of the NTT tourism office, said recently that a tour of the Komodo Dragon National Park will be offered to the participants.

         "We estimate some five to seven thousand foreign guests to visit Labuan Bajo following the Annual Meetings," Jelamu remarked.

           The Komodo Dragon National Park's facilities and infrastructure are currently being renovated or improved to receive the foreign guests.

         "The stairs on Padar Island are being repaired, the pier is being renovated, and more toilets are being built," Sudiyono, director of the Komodo Dragon National Park, noted.

        The visits of the meetings' participants will have a significant impact on the tourism industry in East Nusa Tenggara Province, according to Sudiyono.

         The number of tourists visiting the park in 2017 had reached 119,599, comprising 75,650 foreign tourists and 43,949 domestic tourists.

        Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya asked the Borobudur Tourism Authority Board to immediately develop a nomadic tourism concept to welcome participants of the IMF-WB Annual Meetings.

       "Start with development of nomadic tourism, a temporary thing, that you can do quickly. Something with a little profitability should not be a small thing. A four or five star glamorous camping could be sold during the IMF-World Bank meetings," he said.

          Caravan can choose the best spot with a panoramic angle and use luxurious camps as accommodation for tourists.

         Tourism Ministry has set a target that the number of tourist arrivals to Borobudur Temple in 2019 could reach 2 million people with a projected foreign exchange of US$2 billion. ***1***
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/Suharto) 18-02-2018