Zubair Qureshi
Jakarta
The government of Indonesia has set an ambitious target of 20 million tourists to visit the country in 2019 and enjoy the scenic beauty of the magnificent islands and other tourist destinations sprawling across Indonesia.
According to a senior official of the Ministry of Tourism, Glory Maudy Paat, in 2018 some 15.8 million visitors came to Indonesia against the target of 17 million. In 2019, we are expecting a much higher number though it will be premature to say whether we can achieve this year’s target or not, she said. “By June 30 this year, the number of tourists visiting Indonesia was 7.82 million,” she said however adding the influx of tourists and visitors to Indonesia takes place in the last months of a year. Maudy Paat also accompanied the participants of the Familiarization Trip 2019 (FAMTRIP) to Thousand Islands.
FAMTRIP is a fully-funded programme of the Indonesian government for media persons to visit the country and tell the world about its natural beauty and scenic attractions.
The participants were taken in a speedboat to four of the ‘Thousand islands’ – Pulau (literally meaning island) Kelor, Pulau Onrust, Pulau Cipir and Pulau Bidadari—that are at a 30-minute distance from Jakarta. According to a tour official since there are many unnoticeable islands, the easiest way is to call them Thousand Islands.
These islands are unique in the sense each of them has its own history and a story to tell its visitors. One can find remnants of the Dutch rule here.
