Securing brighter future for tourism

Threats like terrorism and social unrest due to political instability or other causes are among the most unwelcome occurrences for the tourist industry, in addition to other issues like crime, disease, global financial crises and natural disasters.

Political violence has had considerable impacts on tourism in Asia over the past few years. In late 2008, for example, terrorist attacks killed and injured scores of people and saw hundreds held hostage at star-rated hotels in Mumbai. That year also saw political turmoil when anti-Thai-government protesters paralyzed two airports in Bangkok and Phuket.

With worldwide media reports, especially TV coverage, such crises had a direct impact on travelers and foreigners, and apparently damaged tourism in both countries. Most recently, the Bangkok Post reported that the tourist industry in Thailand suffered another big loss because of cancellations ahead of a new anti-government rally last week.

Indonesia has experience similar situations. The country's tourist industry was expected to nosedive after the Bali and Jakarta bombings in 2002-2005 and 2009. The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia fell significantly in 2003 when total international visitors to the archipelago dropped to the lowest level in eight years to 4.46 million. As a result, foreign exchange earned that year was only US$4.037 billion, the lowest in 10 years.

Indonesia's tourist industry, which employs some eight million people, was hampered by other bombings in that there was a significant drop in foreign tourist arrivals. The car bomb at the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in 2003 and bombing outside the Australian Embassy in 2004 and the second Bali bombing in 2005 have likely kept foreign travelers away.

Despite worries about recovery, foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia rose by 19.12 percent to 5,321,165 in 2004. The figure, however, dropped to five million in 2005 and to 4.87 million in 2006.

Industry players and the government believed the drops were mainly due to natural disasters (the 2004 tsunami in Aceh and 2005 earthquake in Yogyakarta) and global fears over the avian flu epidemic during the period.

Subsequent to natural disaster, recovery in the tourist sector theoretically comes faster than after internal security and political rows, terrorism and safety issues. This was proven by the rising numbers of foreign tourist arrivals of 5.5 million in 2007 and 6.42 million in 2008.

Last year, despite the global financial recession, the potential political turmoil of the long electoral process of legislative and presidential elections and the second Marriott bombing, the number of international visitors to the country rose to 6.4 million.

It somehow showed that the political climate, security and safety in Indonesia are getting better and have had no negative impact on tourist arrivals.

On the other hand, the government has launched a series of campaigns to lure more foreign visitors to the country.

And now after the recent success of the police in fighting terror and capturing terror suspects, players as well as all relevant parties in the travel and tourist sector expect to see a much better condition in Indonesia.

"We praise the National Police for their success, especially in the killing of the Bali bomber Dulmatin, one of the country's most wanted fugitives. The international media coverage will hopefully show that Indonesia is serious about cracking down on terrorists and boosting security," said Herna P. Danuningrat, chairperson of the Jakarta branch of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agents (ASITA).

She added that the result would be evident during the peak season starting next month or within the next three months, in which more foreign tourists were expected to visit Indonesia.

Herna reminded that measures and promotions were still necessary to attract more tourists, as were improved security and safety in Indonesia.

"The image of Indonesia is getting better internationally. The visit of US President Barrack Obama will also be good for our tourism. But we need to show to the world that Indonesia is really a safe country."

Earlier this month, when attending the annual International Tourism Bourse (ITB) in Berlin participated in by Indonesia, Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik said the success of law enforcers in revealing a terrorist network and the perpetrators in several places in the country could help regain foreign tourists' confidence and trust in the level of safety in Indonesia.

As part of the overseas tourism promotion, Garuda Indonesia made its first appearance at the ITB to reintroduce its service linking Jakarta and Amsterdam, which will be launched in June - a move that Wacik believes will lure some one million European tourists this year.

The government in the meantime is also focusing more on the priorities to strengthen tourism in various aspects for the sake of a steadier future rather than targeting more tourist arrivals. This is more or less in line with the genuine security measures to discourage terrorist attacks, which will thereby reduce the volatility of and promote the travel and tourist industry.