The US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R. Donovan stated yesterday that the US has offered technical assistance to manage environment-friendly tourism destinations in Indonesia, after a meeting with Tourism Minister Arief Yahya in Jakarta on Monday (Apr 10).
The US government is offering technical assistance in improving the environmental quality of tourist locations, especially Bali, which will be hosting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Bank Annual Meeting in October 2018 and also the Asian Games 2018 which will be held in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra.
Minister Yahya said to reporters that waste management was one of the main concerns in tourism destinations, such as Bali, and the other 10 new tourism destinations that the central government is now promoting. They will all receive technical assistance from the US.
“The Asian Games in 2018 and the IMF World Bank Annual Meeting in October 2018 will offer the necessary momentum to make Bali clean of trash,” Yahya noted.
Minister Yahya emphasized that last year, the number of US tourists to Indonesia had increased to 300 thousand, up by 11.05 percent as compared to 260 thousand visitors in 2015.
“This year, we are expecting to attract 375 thousand Americans, up by 25 percent. It will be surpassing the number of British tourists reaching 300 thousand. The US tourists pick Bali as their favorite destination,” Yahya noted.
Meanwhile, according to Antara News, Donovan remarked that cooperation could be forged for developing hotel services, ecotourism, and nature tourism in Indonesia.
The ambassador pointed out that the US government has already outlined a management program for solid waste and sea waste disposals and affirmed that the cooperation will demonstrate the strategic commitment between the US and Indonesia, as good partners. This also is great news for people living in Indonesia and especially Bali.
The Indonesian tourism ministry is currently preparing six tourism promotional events in the US, the New York Times Travel Show, the Los Angeles Travel and Adventure Show, the Seatrade Cruise Global, the IMEX America, the DEMA Show, and the Indonesia Sales Mission in USA.
Photo: id.usembassy.gov
