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Mobile app to promote diving sites
As part of its campaign to attract 20 million foreign visitors per year, the Indonesian Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry plans to launch a mobile application to promote the countryâs underwater world and woo marine sports aficionados
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s part of its campaign to attract 20 million foreign visitors per year, the Indonesian Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry plans to launch a mobile application to promote the country's underwater world and woo marine sports aficionados.
Abdul Kadir, a deputy assistant in the research and development division of the ministry, said the ministry was working on an app called 'Wonderful Diving', projected to launch around April next year to promote Indonesia's diving sites. Diving is an important part of Indonesia's maritime appeal and plays a significant role in bringing in tourists.
'As many as 35 percent of all foreign tourists come to the country for its maritime attractions,' Kadir said on the sidelines of the ministry's discussion 'Gong 21: Wonderful Indonesia Goes World Class' in Jakarta on Thursday.
'Divers on average spend two weeks in the country, not only to dive, but also to explore other places; hence the significant multiplier effect,' Abdul added.
Indonesia is home to approximately 51,000 square kilometers of coral reefs. According to data from Reefs At Risk in Southeast Asia, 51 percent of the region's coral reefs and 18 percent of the world's coral reefs are found in Indonesian waters, not to mention 25 percent of fish species of the planet, which can be found in the archipelago's waters.
Since the end of 2011, the ministry has been developing and promoting diving destinations under its special interest tourism programs. The ministry identified 4,000 diving spots across the archipelago.
According to Abdul, the free app will list popular diving spots in different places, such as Komodo Island's underwater habitat in East Nusa Tenggara, Bunaken in North Sulawesi, and Raja Ampat in West Papua, with pictures and videos.
'The idea for now is that users can watch 360-degree videos of current conditions of the spots. In the long run, we plan to upgrade it to real-time footage, so that users can share their real-time experience in the app and also share their pictures,' he explained.
The app will also provide information and advice on accommodation, visa, customs and immigration rules as well as health and safety issues.
According to Kadir, the ministry's budget for promotion this year is Rp 1.2 trillion (US$87 million), half of which is to be spent on digital advertising.
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Indonesia chapter CEO Poernomo Siswoprasetjo said the government needed to help link local travel agencies with travel agencies abroad that will promote Indonesian destinations more effectively, instead of only running one-off advertisements or exhibitions.
'One wholesaler heads thousands of smaller travel agencies that will help Indonesia promote packages,' Poernomo said.
The government aims to boost the number of foreign visitors to 20 million a year by 2019. As of September, this year has seen 7.3 million foreign visitors, up 6 percent from 6.9 million recorded in the same period last year. For the full year, Indonesia has set itself a target of 10 million visitors.
Ahman Sya, a deputy of tourism institution development at the ministry, said the 20 million-target for 2019 was considered low when compared with Thailand and Malaysia, which already targeted 30 million and 26 million visitors in 2015, respectively. (rbk)
