Tourism should be a Driving Force for National and Regional Economic Development

by Editor Bali

BALI, ULTIMOPARADISO.COM  — Tourism is an important driving force in national and regional economic development. Tourism development in Indonesia also requires support for connectivity and destination diversity, apart from relying on conventional marketing.

The decade-long journey of implementing the Bali and Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) as an exchange and business meeting for tourism marketing companies has increasingly shown optimism among the tourism sector.

Chairman of the DPD Association of Indonesian Tourist Travel Companies (ASITA) Bali, who is also Chairman of the 10th BBTF Committee, Putu Winastra, revealed that the 2024 Bali and Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) was attended by 282 selling companies and 370 buying companies from Indonesia and abroad.

“This year’s BBTF has the theme of exploring and experiencing the beauty of Indonesia,” said Winastra after the opening ceremony of the 10th BBTF at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC)/The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, Wednesday (12/6/2024) . BBTF 2024 runs until Friday (14/6/2024).

The 10th Bali and Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) officially opened on Wednesday (12/6/2024). As an exchange and business meeting event, the 10th BBTF was also filled with exhibitions in the Bali International Convention Center (BICC)/The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Badung Regency area.

Winastra stated that at BBTF 2024, registered buyer companies came from 45 countries, while seller companies came from eight countries, including Indonesia. BBTF 2024 is believed to be a quality market place, which has the potential to record transactions of up to IDR 8.1 trillion.

Previously, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pahala Nugraha Mansury stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports BBTF in Bali as a means of promoting destinations in Indonesia and as well as an effort to build connectivity with other countries. Connectivity development is also being pursued domestically so that destinations in the archipelago are also connected.

Meanwhile, the Deputy for Tourism Products and Organizing Activities (Events) of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Vinsensius Jemadu, revealed that there is a possibility of an increase in transactions during the BBTF 2024 event. He is optimistic that the transaction target at BBTF 2024 will be achieved.

The 10th Bali and Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) officially opened on Wednesday (12/6/2024). The 10th BBTF opening series also included a talk show, which presented a number of speakers from academics, government and representatives of the tourism industry.

Meanwhile, in a talk show before the opening ceremony of the 10th BBTF, several participants in the 10th BBTF talk show revealed their origins from countries in Central America and South America, for example, Panama and Ecuador. The presence of BBTF participants from countries in Central America and South America also received appreciation from other participants.

Regarding this, Deputy for Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Ni Made Ayu Martini, said that promoting Indonesian tourism abroad is often accompanied by promotion of trade and investment. Tourism is an attractive magnet.

“All potential must be developed,” said Martini.

Meanwhile, a religious leader, who is also a professor of tourism science at Udayana University, Bali, Ida Pandita Mpu Brahmananda, said that multi-party cooperation and collaboration is important in developing tourism. He invited all tourism industry managers outside Bali to work together and collaborate with the tourism industry in Bali in developing destinations.

“Use Bali as a locomotive to attract tourist visits to other destinations,” he said.

Ida Pandita reminded the government to improve and complete regional infrastructure. Improving infrastructure will equalize tourist visits and all areas in Bali can enjoy the benefits of tourism. This was conveyed by Ida Pandita in response to the phenomenon of overtourism in Bali.
Meanwhile, Head of Tourism Marketing at the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Ida Ayu Indah Yustikarini, said that the development and provision of infrastructure in Bali seemed slower than the faster development of tourism in Bali.

To manage tourism in Bali so that it continues to prioritize cultural tourism, which is quality and sustainable, Indah stated, the government has made regulations as rules that should be followed by all.

Apart from Ida Pandita and the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, the speech event also presented the General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero) I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Handy Heryudhitiawan and the Secretary General of the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) Pauline Suharno as speakers. ***

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