Indonesia promotes tourism in Nantes, France

Indonesia promoted its “10 new Balis,” a plan to develop 10 tourism destinations outside Bali, at a tourism fair in Nantes, France, over the weekend. 

At the event, titled Salon International du Tourisme (SIT) de Nantes, which ran from Jan. 26-28, the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Paris operated a stall in collaboration with various tour agencies, including French-based companies that offer packages to Indonesia. 

“We must continue to work together to encourage Indonesia tourism, especially as the number of visitors to Bali was disrupted by the eruption of Mount Agung,” Indonesian Ambassador to France Hotmangaradja Pandjaitan said, as quoted in a statement. 

The Indonesian stall also emphasized that Bali remained safe for visitors despite the ongoing, albeit minor, volcanic activity of Mount Agung.

Read also: Explore the archipelago through Jokowi’s vlogs

SIT Nantes welcomes more than 40,000 visitors to its annual event, where the Indonesian stall promoted various attractions, including diving and other sports. 

Citing data from France‘s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), the Indonesian embassy said in its statement that France‘s western coast, namely the province of Brittany and its capital Rennes and Pays de la Loire province and its capital Nantes, was among the regions with the highest income per capita in the country, making it a significant potential market for Indonesia tourism.

More than 255,000 French citizens visited the archipelago from January to November 2017, a 5.16 percent increase over the same period the previous year. (liz/kes)