Uninvolved In The Global Economic Crisis, NTB Targets A Visit Of 1.5 Million Tourists In 2023

Head of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Tourism Office, Yusron Hadi, emphasized that the global economic crisis that is now sweeping the world will not affect tourist visits to the region.

"I don't think there is any effect. As long as there are no restrictions like at the beginning of COVID-19, tourists will definitely visit our area," he said, quoted by Antara, Sunday, December 4.

He said he was optimistic that the growth of the tourism sector would continue to grow even though the world was hit by a crisis. Moreover, international flights directly from Malaysia and Singapore as tourist entrances have been reopened after being closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Not long after flights from Australia will also follow soon. So this adds to our optimism," he said.

He said to optimize tourism growth in the region, his party would make a number of efforts. Among them are still carrying out promotional activities both domestically and abroad.

"Especially in 2023, we together with tourism actors in the regions will take part in the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) which will take place in Yogyakarta. It is hoped that this activity can further promote NTB tourism, especially in the ASEAN and Asian regions," he explained.

In addition, his party will also optimize the Bali tourism market, reminding Bali itself to be one of the entrances for tourists to NTB, especially from abroad. Then carry out salesmission or sales mission as done in November 2022 by BPPD.

"So we will collaborate on all of this later, so that we support each other," said Yusron Hadi.

In addition, improve services and continue to coordinate with the central government. Including preparing a tourism calambier in one year.

"There are 23 tourist activities that we have prepared to be included in the tourism calendar in 2023," he said.

He conveyed that of the 23 tourism activities, as many as 10 activities were submitted to the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf) to be included in the national tourism agenda which is now named Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) in 2023.

"Of the 10 that we have proposed or proposed, six of them have been received. Such as Senggigi Sunset Jazz in West Lombok, Pacoa Jara in Bima City, Gili Festival in North Lombok Regency, Bau Nyale in Central Lombok, War Topat in West Lombok and Balong in West Sumbawa," he said.

According to him, the NTB Provincial Government has targeted the number of tourist visits in 2023 to reach 1.5 million people. This target is an increase compared to 2022 which targets the number of tourist visits to reach 1 million people.

"The latest data until September 2022, the number of our tourist visits has reached 900 thousand people, even by the end of the year we estimate it can reach 1.2 million people," he said.

The former Head of the NTB Fisheries and Marine Service, added that referring to data on tourist visits to NTB from 2020, it had decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time there were only 400,595 people visiting.

However, in 2021 it will rise again to 964,036 people. Meanwhile, in 2022 from January to September it will reach 967,394 tourist visits.

"For 2022, that figure can still increase. We estimate it will reach 1.2 million people by the end of December 2022.

Meanwhile, in terms of tourism growth in the second to third quarters of 2022, it was 1.82 percent. This condition, according to him, increased from minus 2.09 percent of the previous year.

Meanwhile, from food and beverage revenue in NTB in the second quarter of 2022, it was IDR 343.4 billion and in the third quarter it was IDR 349.7 billion.