Indonesia eyes increase in tourist arrivals from Qatar

Indonesia is eyeing an increase in tourist arrivals from Qatar with double-digit year on year growth rates in the number of Qatari tourists in the first three quarters of this year.
The impressive growth in Qatari inbound tourism to Indonesia was one of the factors that encouraged Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism to hold for the first time a tourism travel gathering in Doha, which is hosted by the Indonesian Embassy as part of the Wonderful Indonesia Festival in Qatar.
“First we had to look at the statistical perspective where this market has grown very well, which was double digit compared last year, and I think almost every year it grows positively,” Nia Niscaya, Director of the Office of the Deputy for International Marketing at Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia, told local media at the event held at Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha Hotel on Tuesday.
“From January to September this year compared to the same period last year, the number of Qatari tourists to Indonesia increased by 33.21 percent - from over 9,000 Qatari tourists last year to over 13,000 this year,” said Niscaya, adding tourist arrivals from Qatar could be higher as the number does not yet include the expatriates who travelled to Indonesia. On the reason for this growth, she said Indonesia is already a known destination to Qataris especially Bali and Jakarta but that they realized the need to promote the country’s many other destinations and offerings.
Niscaya stressed that Indonesia is an ideal family, leisure and honeymoon destination for tourists from Qatar with its excellent amenities and attractions as well as accessibility and connectivity as Qatar Airways flies to several Indonesian destinations.
On Halal tourism, she said: “Halal tourism is more of expanded services, because Halal is part of our DNA since our population comprises mostly Muslims.”
As Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism has pledged to attract 20 million tourists in 2019, she said they are targeting 20 percent growth in tourist arrivals from Qatar.“This is very ambitious. This is our first time to have tourism promotion in Qatar and we want to establish a better presence and communication with the market,” she said.
Speaking at the event, Indonesian Ambassador to Qatar, Air Marshal (ret) Muhammad Basri Sidehabi highlighted Qatar as an interesting market.
“I see Qatar as an interesting market. It comprises of 400,000 Qataris and the 2.3m expatriates. They have nothing to do during the hottest months of the year, and yearning to cool off somewhere spending the fruit of their labor. Last year, we registered around 9769 Qatari visitors. I am sure the numbers of actual visitors from Qatar itself is much higher, otherwise Qatar airways will not add new flights and routes to Indonesia,” he said. “Last year we started to market the Indonesian tourism with Al Jazeera. The Minister said that Indonesia clocked 30 percent increase of tourists from the MENA region. I expect this number will continue to grow,” he added. Seven travel companies from Indonesia attended the event which also featured a number of performances from Indonesian artistes.
Wonderful Indonesia Festival in Qatar will be held today and tomorrow at the Mall of Qatar featuring colourful cultural Indonesian performances.