us offers technical assistance to develop indonesia`s tourism sector

The US has specifically offered technical assistance to manage environment-friendly tourism destinations in Indonesia, the US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R. Donovan stated after a meeting with Tourism Minister Arief Yahya here, Monday.

The US government is offering technical assistance to improve the quality of environment at tourist locations, especially Bali, which will host the International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Bank Annual Meeting in October 2018 and to welcome the Asian Games 2018 to be held in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra.

Minister Yahya remarked that the waste management process in main tourism destinations, such as Bali, and 10 key destinations need technical assistance from the US.

"The Asian Games in 2018 and the IMF World Bank Annual Meeting in October 2018 will offer the necessary momentum to make Bali clean of trash," Yahya noted.

Minister Yahya emphasized that last year, the number of US tourists to Indonesia had increased to 300 thousand, up by 11.05 percent as compared to 260 thousand visitors in 2015.

"This year, we are expecting to attract 375 thousand tourists, up by 25 percent. It will be surpassing the number of British tourists reaching 300 thousand. The US tourists pick Bali as their favorite destination," Yahya noted.