REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia will be awarded the ASEAN Favorite Destination Award at Malaysia's biggest tourism expo 'MATTA Fair 2015,' to be held at the Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur from September 4 to 6.
The Overseas Tourism Marketing Deputy for the Ministry of Tourism, I. Gde Pitana, said on Thursday that he would lead the Indonesian delegation to receive the award.
"We will use the opportunity to display Indonesia's tourism potential during the event to attract more tourists from Malaysia and from other countries, who are taking part in the Malaysian tourism expo," noted Pitana.
He plans to invite representatives from 80 tourism companies and 10 heads of regional tourism services.
The MATTA (Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents) Fair is one of the most reputable tourism exhibitions in the Association for Southeast Nations (ASEAN) region and is attended by sellers from various countries.
As a country, which is recognized as an ASEAN Favorite Destination, Indonesia will display various new aspects as the world's biggest island country. It will also showcase Indonesian hospitality and traditions.
The 207-square meter booth of the Indonesian pavilion will exhibit the diversity of its tourism destinations from Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara and Papua, with delegations comprising of travel agents, hotels and regional tourism services. They will directly interact with visitors and consumers from Malaysia.
Visitors to the Indonesian pavilion will be entertained with cultural performances, traditional dances, Sasando music, violin and an instant photograph corner.
The pavilion will also present the best Arabica coffee from Toraja and from Sumatra, as well as Indonesia's special Civet coffee.
"There will be a spa corner for visitors who get tired and want to experience and enjoy Indonesian traditional health care. Visitors, who purchase tickets from the local travel agents, are requested to exchange it with prizes at the Indonesian pavilion," Pitana said.
At the opening of the Matta Fair on September 4, the Indonesian pavilion will play Indonesia's newest tourism video, showing the Rampak Kendang cultural dance from West Java.
A total of 24 dancers from Jakarta, Aceh, Central Java and Riau provinces will also perform on a common stage during MATTA Fair.
Bali, for example will stage the Penyoet Ratoh Meutalo and Piasan Raya dances, while Aceh will present the Marhaban dance. The Piring dance will be performed by dancers from Minangkabau (West Sumatra), the Rara Ngigel dance from Solo (Central Java), and the Melay arts performance will be staged by Riau, along with many other such performances.
Indonesia will also hold an Indonesia-Malaysia tourism industry meeting dubbed as Indonesia Tourism Table Top on September 2, two days before the opening of the MATTA Fair.
The event is a forum aimed at bringing together sellers from Indonesia and buyers from Malaysia to promote Indonesian tourism packages in Malaysia.
The Indonesian delegation is composed of 100 sellers, including travel agents, hotels, accommodation providers and tourism destinations from several regions in Indonesia, such as Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau Islands (including Batam), South Sumatra, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, East Nusa Tenggara and Southeast Sulawesi. They will get a chance to mingle with 130 buyers from Malaysia.
Pitana said the Malaysian market is very important for Indonesia. It is the second biggest market for Indonesia after Singapore.
"Last year, a total of 1.276 million tourists from Malaysia visited Indonesia and this year Indonesia has set a target for attracting 1.7 million Malaysian tourists," Pitana stated.
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