Indonesia aiming to attract more tourists from Macau

Indonesia is looking to attract more tourists from Macau including locals and expats to the country. 

By Sara Farr, Macau Daily Times, Friday, 02 January 2009 

Although local low cost carrier, Viva Macau, already flies five times a week to Jakarta, the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism wants to attract more locals and international tourists in Macau to explore other destinations in the country, Sapta Nirwandar, director general of marketing from the Ministry said. 

Speaking to the Macau Daily Times, during his visit to the SAR, Nirwandar said he hopes more people in Macau will visit Indonesia. 

“In Macau there are not only locals but also many expats living here, and Macau is now a major destination around the world receiving more than 20 million visitors each year. So we're inviting them to extend their visit to Indonesia, specially for a holiday destination,” Nirwandar said. 

Although there are no direct flight from Macau, to other destinations such as Bali, Nirwandar said the Indonesian government is trying to connect with other local airlines in Indonesia to connect flights between Jakarta and other destinations. 

“That means they [tourists] fly to Jakarta [from Macau] this time and maybe next time they will go to Bali. From jakarta it's easy to go to Bali, and there are many flights,” he said. 

Over the past two years since Viva Macau first flew to Jakarta, the number of visitors from Macau is “not bad.” 

“It's good, and that's why we want to increase [the number],” Nirwandar said, adding that the number of flights from Macau to Jakarta increased from twice a week to five times a week. 

“And next it will be increased to seven times a week... depends on the reediness of the market. That's why we're trying to promote awareness for the local people in Macau, expats and also international visitors to extend their visits [to Indonesia].” 

For Indonesia, Macau is seen as a strategic location because it is close to Guangdong and other mainland provinces. 

“These people can go to Indonesia via Macau, because the prices too are more competitive than flying from Hong Kong,” Nirwandar said, adding that although someone in Macau might choose to go to Bali via Hong Kong because of its direct flights, the prices are still more competitive, with the price of flights being cheaper from Macau even with connecting flights. 

“So what we want is to combine two airlines, Viva Macau and a local airline in Indonesia,” he said. 

Travellers in Indonesia do not have to settle for lazying around the hotel pool or tropical beaches. 

Expats have been going to the country for golfing as well as wellness spas. But Macau too has something different to offer Indonesians, mainly shopping, family entertainment, edutainment and gaming. 

“I'll be honest with you, of course there are many Indonesians who try to experience gambling, and that's also a reason for them to want to come to Macau,” the director general said, adding that regardless of the reason, Indonesia has seen an increasing number of tourists travelling to the SAR. 

In the next five years the number of tourists to Indonesia, from Macau alone, will increase, according to Nirwandar, who added that the market and will is “already there.” 

During his visit to the SAR, Nirwandar also met with the director for the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Joao Costa Antunes, who is looking to open a representative office in Indonesia as early as next month.