JAKARTA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia highlighted the eastern region of Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province in its efforts to attract tourists from the Netherlands, an official at the tourism ministry said on Wednesday.
Deputy Minister for International Marketing supervising European region Nia Niscaya said the option to highlight Lombok with its tourism zone of Mandalika was aimed at offering fresh destination for potential tourists.
"The public in the Netherlands were enthusiastic to attend the tour sales mission held from Monday to Tuesday in Amsterdam and Eindhoven. The event also attracted buyers of 40 tour agents from various areas in that country," Nia said.
She said that Mandalika offers luxury resorts, pristine beaches as well as natural sceneries, adding that Mandalika also has great potential for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) tourism.
Indonesia has projected to host MotoGP in 2019 after it obtained license from MotoGP. Circuits have been planned in Mandalika and Palembang in South Sumatra province to host the event next year.
Indonesia targeted to receive 225,000 tourists from the Netherlands this year after it saw 2.82 percent growth of the arrivals last year.
Promotion on new destination would also be carried out in other markets, Indonesia Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said.
"We are optimistic that the new promotion program would give us positive impacts with more arrival of foreign tourists, eventually help us to meet our targets," he added.
Indonesia has set tourism as part of its leading industries with various reform in the sector. The nation has set a target of receiving 17 million foreign tourists this year and 20 million next year.