Banyuwangi`s Red Island being promoted at ITB Berlin/jean

Pulau Merah (Source: http://firstblogspotadress.blogspot.co.id)

The Red Island with its beautiful beach in Banyuwangi district, East Java, is being promoted at ITB Berlin from March 9 to 13, 2016.

The Internationale Tourismus Borse in Berlin (ITB Berlin) is the worlds largest travel trade fair where Red Island and other tourist destinations in Indonesia are being promoted.

As the worlds largest travel and trade fair, the ITB Berlin provides a unique opportunity to look behind the curtain of the global tourism industry.

Each year, the ITB Berlin welcomes around 10 thousand exhibitors from more than 180 countries and regions, including Indonesia.

Participating in the ITB Berlin 2016, Indonesias state-owned forestry firm, Perum Perhutani, promoted the Red Island in Banyuwangi and 236 other tourist destinations in different cities on Java Island.

"At the ITB Berlin, we promote Red Island in Banyuwangi and other tourist destinations owned by Perum Perhutani," the Perhutani Head for Tourism and Agribusiness, Lies Bahunta, remarked in Berlin Saturday.

For the past several years Perum Perhutani has put serious efforts to develop tourism on Java Island and to promote tourism attractions to an international audience, she noted.

Besides promoting tourist attractions, Perhutani is also making every effort to attract foreign investors to invest in the Red Island tourism sector, Bahunta said.

The unique and innate character of the surrounding hills of Red Island beach has made Banyuwangi in East Java one of the favorite tourist destinations.

Situated at Sumber Agung village in Pesanggaran district, some 60 kilometers south of Banyuwangi city center, the Red Island beach has become one of the leading destinations after it has been promoted through the international surfing competition on a regular basis since 2012.

The Red Island beach, stretching three kilometers long with golden sand and spectacular waves, is an ideal location in Banyuwangi for visitors to engage in activities, such as snorkeling and surfing.

The Banyuwangi district government held the International Surfing Competition at the Red Island beach on September 24-27, 2015.

Acting Head of the Youth and Sports Department Wawan Yadmadi stated in Banyuwangi that the three-day International Surfing Competition was the fourth edition of the event since it was first held in 2012 at the Red Island beach, which derived its name from a rocky hill having reddish soil.

Yadmadi noted that as many as 80 surfers from some 20 countries, including Venezuela, Switzerland, Germany, the United States, South Korea, Hungary, France, Thailand, and Indonesia participated in the event.

Yadmadi said he had initially estimated that only few participants would attend the event as a similar competition was also being held in Maldives.

"A surfer from Venezuela came directly to Banyuwangi for the event after taking part in an event in Australia," he revealed.

This is the fourth annual event to be held at the beach this year and offers waves ideal for surfing, with a coastline stretching up to 400 meters.

According to Yadmadi, the Red Island beach is fast becoming the newest tourist destination and highly sought-after surfing location in Indonesia.

Banyuwangi District Head Abdullah Azar Anas, who inaugurated the event, remarked that Red Island has become popular, which is reflected by the growing number of tourists visiting the region.

Anas further vowed to continue developing sports tourism in the region.

The International Surfing Competition, which lasted for three days, was held as part of the Banyuwangi Festival 2015 to showcase some sports events to promote tourism in the district.

Banyuwangi District Head Abdulllah Azwar Anas remarked that Banyuwangi Festival 2015 comprised 38 different events, including the International Tour de Banyuwangi Ijen, Beach Jazz Festival, Gandrung Sewu Festival, International Surfing Competition, Batik Festival, and Banyuwangi Ethno Carnival.

"The Banyuwangi Festival is held to promote tourism to maximize the districts potential and to motivate residents to develop their district," Azwar affirmed.

He noted that some other events, such as the Green and Recycle Fashion Week, Local Fruit Festival, Sego Tempong Culinary Festival, Childrens Traditional Games Festival, Kite Festival, Percussion and Lare-lare Orchestra Festival, and Wind Surf Competition could become regular tourist attractions in Banyuwangi.

In addition, the innate character of the mountains and beaches has made Banyuwangi one of the favorite tourist destinations in East Java.

Several foreign tourists visit Banyuwangi before they cross to the Indonesian island resort of Bali from Ketapang Port.

Banyuwangi is located in the easternmost tip of the island of Java, directly adjacent to Situbondo in the north, the strait of Bali in the East, and the Indian Ocean in the south.

The charm of Banyuwangis tourism not only lies in its natural beauty but also the variety of culinary and cultural attractions that continue to lure both domestic and foreign tourists to visit the district.

Favorite tourist attractions in Banyuwangi are the Red Island beach, Ijen crater located at an altitude of 2,443 meters above sea level with a depth of 200 meters, Teluk Hijau or Green Bay, and Tabuhan Island, among others.

The island is an ideal location for people who want to go scuba diving as the water is very clear.

The Lider Banyuwangi waterfall in Watu Dodol, Plengkung Beach, is another tourist attraction.

To be able to reach the Lider waterfall, the visitors must travel 45 kilometers from the city of Banyuwangi.

Watu Dodol is located in the Ketapang village, not far from Ketapang port, and close to the main road leading to Baluran National Park.

The visitors can enjoy the scenic Watu Dodol to witness the coastal area along the road, with hills on both sides.

The Plengkung Beach, which is ideal for surfing, is another renowned tourist attraction besides the Red Island beach in Banyuwangi

The best time for surfing at Plengkung Beach is between May and mid-October. (Antara)

Switzerland to Make 'Big Investment' in Indonesia's Tourism Industry/jean

Wakatobi (Source: Wikipedia)

The Switzerland government will make a "big investment" in Indonesia's tourism industry within the next four years, providing expertise in the hospitality industry and vocational skill development to support the Indonesian government's ambitious target of attracting 20 million international tourists annually by 2020, an official said on Friday (14/07). 

"We actually plan to do quite a big investment into tourism in three new projects," Martin Stottele, the head of economic development cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland in Indonesia, said.
Stottele made the comment on the sidelines of the Switzerland-Indonesia Economic Development Cooperation Strategy 2017-2020 launch in Jakarta during which the two countries renewed economic and development partnerships. 
\

According to Stottele, Switzerland will be working with the World Bank to create an integrated tourism masterplan for selected tourist destinations in Indonesia including Labuan Bajo in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara; Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi; and another location to be announced by the Indonesian government later. 

In a second project, Switzerland will provide technical assistance to establish a new tourism school in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, and four polytechnics in other areas. 

The Indonesian government, Stottele said, plans to set up four new polytechnics to teach wood carving and furniture in Semarang, East Java; smelters in Morowali, Central Sulawesi, and Bantaeng, South Sulawesi; and a food processing facility under the management of the Industry Ministry and the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry. 

"The first polytechnic in Indonesia was established [with] Switzerland's assistance. Now we want to come back and assist mainly in a new sector," Stottele said. 

Stottele was referring to a polytechnic for mechanics in Bandung that was established in 1973 by the Indonesian and Swiss governments. The Swiss Polytechnic for Mechanics has now transformed into the Bandung State Polytechnic for Manufacture. 

A third project will be set up to assist the Indonesian government with implementing masterplans designed in cooperation with the Swiss government.
At the launch event, the Swiss government announced it will invest a total of 75 million Swiss francs ($77.5 million) in the next four years in Indonesia. 

Kennedy Simanjuntak, the deputy for development funding at the National Development Planning Ministry (Bappenas), praised Switzerland's effort to help Indonesian cocoa farmers increase their income and reduce greenhouse emissions by 30 percent in the past four years. 

Kennedy told reporters he hopes Switzerland will invest more in Indonesia's tourism sector in the next four years to help the Indonesian government achieve its goal of growing the country's tourism industry. 

Indonesia has set itself a target of attracting 20 million foreign tourists annually in the next three to four years. The country attracted 11.5 million foreign tourists last year, up nearly 11 percent from 10.4 million in 2015, according to Indonesia's statistics agency. (JakartaGlobe)

Lonely Planet names Asia�s best destination for 2017/jean

Tourist bible Lonely Planet has announced its top pick for the best travel destination in Asia for 2017, and chances are you�ve never heard of it.
According to travel experts, the Chinese city of Gansu could soon replace Bali as Australia�s hottest travel spot.
�It could potentially become the new Bali. Gansu is basically unknown to the average traveller but with Lonely Planet�s help it could explode,� University of Technology Sydney tourism expert Dr David Beirman told The New Daily.
�Lonely Planet are very influential when it comes to where travellers tend to go. When people find out about places like this, great tourist spots with little crowds, it absolutely becomes a hot spot.�
Gansu�s mix of untouched terrain, exquisite local cuisine and upgraded transport services should push the province to the top of your bucket list, Lonely Planet said.

The crowd-free city hosts picturesque views with surreal scenery ranging from the arid peaks of Xiahe to the otherworldly rainbow desert of Danxia National Geopark.
Its crown jewel and world-class Buddhist art site, the Mogao Grottoes, which received a huge upgrade in 2015, plus a giant Buddha at Bingling Monastery, make it an �underrated� must-see destination.
The province also carries historical significance as it straddles a once-great trading and military route between China and central Asia as part of the northern Silk Road.

However, Dr Beirman told The New Daily he is concerned for areas such as Gansu, with little-known destinations regularly being �ruined� by Lonely Planet�s recommendations.
�There is a tendency for Lonely Planet�s selections to kill an area with over-tourism,� he said.
�They are very, very influential which can be a negative for these destinations. What it calls a hot-spot often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

�If you have too many tourists it can be detrimental and ruin what made the area so great.�
For Australians, flights to Lanzhou � the capital of Gansu � are relatively cheap, averaging around $600-$700 one way.
Prices for accommodation according to Trip Advisor are even cheaper, with four-star hotels available from $65 to $180 a night.

Lonely Planet�s top 10 Asian destinations

1. Gansu, China
2. South of Tokyo, Japan
3. Northern Kerala, India
4. Keong Saik Road, Singapore
5. Astana, Kazakhstan
6. Takayama Japan
7. Xi�an, China
8. Sri Lanka�s Hill Country
9. Melaka City, Malaysia
10. Raja Ampat, Indonesia

(newdaily)



Lonely Planet Indonesia (Travel Guide)
Lonely Planet China (Travel Guide)
Lonely Planet Southeast Asia on a shoestring (Travel Guide)

Indonesian embassy promotes Balinese culinary in Beijing/jean

Garuda Indonesia in Beijing (twitter)

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Beijing and Hotel Conrad has promoted Balinese cuisine to the guests staying at one of the five star hotels in the capital city of China from July 6 to 16, 2017.

"This is the second event this year," Indonesian Ambassador to China, Soegeng Rahardjo, stated in a press statement received by Antara here on Friday.

To support the event titled A Taste of Indonesia, Conrad Beijing presented three chefs from Bali, namely I Made Semawan, Agus Feritude, and Agus Surya.

They serve Balinese dishes of chicken, pork, fried rice, and satay, which tasted exactly the same as the ones found in the island.

"With the growing recognition of Indonesias tradition, culinary taste, and beauty, it is expected that the number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia will continue to increase," the ambassador stated.

The Embassy will continue to hold such culinary promotional events by involving several star hotels.

Earlier, a similar event was also held by the Embassy in cooperation with Westin Beijing in mid-March.

This year, the Ministry of Tourism expects 2.5 million tourists from China.

In previous year, tourists from mainland China visiting Indonesia reached 1.5 million people. They still see Bali as a major tourist destination in the country.

Garuda Indonesia has provided direct flights to Denpasar from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. Several Chinese airlines also provide direct flights to Denpasar.

(Antara)

Indonesia Tourism Records Faster Growth Than Other SEA Countries/jean

Source: Kemenpar

Indonesia's tourism sector has grown significantly in the first quarter, much faster compared with Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

In January-April, 5.79 million foreign visits were recorded in Singapore � a 4.4 percent increase from 2016 � the Business Times said on its website on June 24.

Singapore had 1.1 million Chinese visitors and 968,000 Indonesian. The visits from Indonesia, however, are expected to decline with the strengthening of the Singapore dollar. "The strengthening of the dollar is expected to last until the end of the year," Cushman & Wakefield research director Christine Li said in a statement on Tuesday (04/07).

The slow growth has also affected Singapore's hotel industry.

The growth in Malaysia has been even slower. Xinhua News Agency reported on June 8 that the number of tourists visiting Indonesia's neighbor dropped by 0.5 percent.
Thailand has also experienced a drop in the number of visits, with 12.02 million foreigners arriving to the country in the first four months, up 2.91 percent from the same period last year, TTR Weekly reported in the end of May.

According to data data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia recorded a 19.34 increase in the number of visits between January and April.
In the first quarter, 4.2 million foreign tourists visited the country, with 1.14 million in April alone � 26.75 percent up from April 2016. (JakartaGlobe)

Three Bali Vilas in the Tripadvisor Top Ten Rental/jean

TripAdvisor, the travel planning and booking site, announced the winners of its first ever Travelers' Choice awards for Rentals today.

With features like private pools, lakefront views, and mountain access, these award-winning properties highlight everything travelers love about TripAdvisor Rentals' unique collection of rental homes around the world.

Travelers' Choice award winners are based on traveler reviews and opinions, as well as customer service provided during the booking process. The awards recognize travelers' favorite properties in three categories: high-end, mid-range and affordable.

Top 10 Travelers' Choice for Rentals - High-end:

1. Villa La Ruga � Lake Como, Italy,  5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, sleeps 8.

2. St. Michael's � Kent, England, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, sleeps 21.

3. Miner's Clubhouse � Breckenridge, Colorado.5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, sleeps 14.

4. Casa Cielo  Volcano View Retreat � Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, sleeps 8.

5. Palazzo Di P � Zakynthos, Greece,5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, sleeps 10.

6. VillaCasa 7 - Marbella � Costa del Sol, Spain,7 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, sleeps 23.

7. Villa Ziba � Seminyak, Bali,5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, sleeps 11.

Source: Booking.com

8. Villa Mawar Bali � Canggu, Bali,6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, sleeps 12.

Source: Tripadvisor

9. Parliament Square 5, Royal Mile � Edinburgh, Scotland,2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sleeps 4.

10. Villa Padawan � Seminyak, Bali,4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Sleeps 10,
In House Chef included

(prnewswire) 

Obama arrives in Bali/jean

Obama dan Michelle Obama (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Former United States president Barack Obama arrived in Bali on Friday evening for a family vacation. His Gulfstream G-V N50JE aircraft landed at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali at 6.52 p.m. local time, or a bit late from its initial schedule of 5.55 p.m.

Wearing a blue T-shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers, Obama was seen relaxed and smiling when he embarked from the plane, witnesses reported. Meanwhile, former First Lady Michelle Obama, who wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans walked by his side. Obama's daughters, Malia and Sasha, also joined the vacation.

Journalists did not have access to cover Obama's arrival at the airport as requested by the former US president's advance team.
Only four officials welcomed Obama at Ngurah Rai Airport, namely Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika, Ngurah Rai Military Air Force Base commander Col. I Wayan Superman, 9^th regional military command (Kodam IX) Udayana commander Maj. Gen. Komarudin Simanjuntak and Denpasar Police chief Sr. Comr. Hadi Purnomo, who represented Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Petrus Reinhard Golose

Obama left Ngurah Rai Airport for Ubud at 7.17 p.m., with an VVIP escort comprising Indonesian Military and National Police personnel and his advance team.

Arie Ahsanurrohin, communications and legal head of state airport operator Angkasa Pura I at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, said clearance processes by the airport�s Customs and Immigration authorities took too long.

�In line with standard operating procedures, customs officers must check all luggage. It took time," Arie said.

Obama briefly engaged in small talk with local officials welcoming him. Obama and his family also posed for photos with the officials before leaving the airport.
Arie said Obama�s arrival did not affect the airport�s flight schedules. Obama will vacation in Bali until June 28, then head to Yogyakarta and Jakarta. (JakartaPost)

Over two million Chinese tourists to visit Indonesia in 2017/jean

Jakarta (Indonesia.travel)

The number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia is estimated to reach more than 2 million tourists in 2017, an official said.

Charge dAffaires of the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in Jakarta Sun Weide said here on Tuesday that the tourism cooperation between Indonesia and China continues to grow. The Chinese Embassy has recorded around 560,000 Chinese tourists to have visited Indonesia during the first three months of this year.

"The number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia is estimated to reach more than two million this year," Sun Weide said in a press conference followed by an iftar at the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta.

Last year, 1.45 million Chinese tourists had visited Indonesia. The number was the second largest after Singapores with 1,47 million tourists. It is estimated that the visiting Chinese tourists had contributed around two billion US dollars of foreign exchange to Indonesia last year, he said.

Cooperation in the tourism sector between Indonesia and China has been robust, he said. On the same day, delegation from Guizhou Province of China held a conference to promote its tourism potential in Jakarta.
Ren Xiang Sheng, Guizhou Provincial Secretary in southwestern China, said the increased cooperation in the fields of tourism and culture has become part of efforts to strengthen Chinas One Belt and One Road (Obor) initiative.

In 2016, more than one million tourists had visited Guizhou, a region dotted with picturesque mountain in China. Out of one million visiting tourists, 128,000 were Indonesians. Indonesian Ministry of Tourism has estimated that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia will reach 2.4 million in 2017, surpassing Singaporeans who were estimated to top around 2.275 million in the same year. Achieving its 12 million tourist visit target in 2016, Indonesia has set a target to attract 15 million tourist in 2017.(Antara)

North Sulawesi optimistic of attracting more Chinese tourists/jean

Taman Laut Bunakken (seputarwisata.com)

To support the Indonesian governments target of attracting at least 12 million foreign tourists, including some 2.4 million from China, several regions are gearing up to receive them this year. 
Tourism promotion events organized by Indonesia in China have resulted in a significant increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting the countrys tourist destinations, particularly Bali and North Sulawesi.
 
Chinese tourists constituted 28.15 percent of the total 1.81 million foreign tourist arrivals in Bali between January and April this year.
North Sulawesi has also enjoyed a sharp increase in the number of Chinese visitors in the first quarter of 2017.
During the period between January and March, North Sulawesi had recorded a five-fold increase in the number of foreign tourists reaching 17,335, of which most were Chinese, from 3,467 during the same period last year.
Chinese tourists have dominated, in terms of the number of visitors to North Sulawesi. In March alone, 3,889 Chinese tourists had visited the province, or 75 percent of the total number of foreign visitors.
 
Other tourist arrivals were from Singapore, Germany, the United States, and Hong Kong. 
In April 2017, Chinese also constituted the largest number of foreign tourists visiting North Sulawesi.
"In April 2017, the number of Chinese tourists visiting North Sulawesi reached 4,477, constituting 72.84 percent of the total foreign tourist arrivals," Moh Edy Mahmud, head of the North Sulawesi statistic office, stated in Manado, recently.
Apart for conducting intensive tourism promotion activities, the significant rise is also owing to the regular direct flights between Manado, the provinces capital, and China, as well as to chartered flights. 
The number of foreign tourists visiting North Sulawesi in April 2017 had increased 312.82 percent, from 1,427 tourists recorded in April 2016. 
The second largest number of foreign tourists visiting the province was from Singapore, with 201 travelers, or 3.27 percent of the total number; followed by Germany, 169 tourists, or 2.75 percent; and those from the UK, 119 people, or 1.94 percent.
North Sulawesi also received 117 tourists from the US, or 1.90 percent of the total number; 108 Australians, or 1.76 percent; 76 Malaysians, or 1.24 percent; 65 Japanese, or 1.06 percent; 45 French, or 0.73 percent; and 38 Dutch, or 0.62 percent.
 
Furthermore, the number of direct flights connecting Manado, North Sulawesi Province, to cities in China is expected to increase, as more Chinese tourists are showing interest to visit the province.
"This June, charter flights will be operated to and from Wuhan twice a week by Lion Air," Yuristo Ardhi, communication and legal section head of airport operator Angkasa Pura chapter at the Sam Ratulangi International Airport, stated.
Lion Air will also operate flights to Baiyun, Guangzhou, in China, thrice a week, while Citilink will serve direct flights on the Manado-Fuzhou route twice a week.
"Hence, we will prepare space to accommodate Chinese tourists to make them feel comfortable," he noted.
As an international airport, Sam Ratulangi is able to accommodate domestic and international tourists.
Its runways and other facilities are also ready to handle small and large aircraft.
"We have just made some improvement to make the passengers at the airport feel comfortable," he noted.
 
North Sulawesi Governor Olly Dondokambey had recently stated that infrastructure at tourist attractions and destinations in North Sulawesi will also be developed and further improved.
The province located on Sulawesi (Celebes) Island is looking forward to attract more Chinese tourists to visit its cities by offering what several Chinese tourists love: seas and tasty cuisine.
 
It offers a variety of natural panoramas, with beaches, hills, volcanic mountains, and scenic plateaus.
The scenic and biodiverse Bunaken Marine National Park, which is just about 10 kilometers from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi Province, is one of the most famous tourist destinations. The park has been inscribed in the list of World Natural Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.
 
Bunaken has an amazing and diverse marine life, with 70 different corals, five species of sea turtles, several fish species, and even white and black tip reef sharks, the almost extinct dugongs, and barracudas.

Papeda (sago congee), Yellow Soup and Ikan Tude Bakar with Dabu-dabu and Rica sambal. (Wikipedia)

For food lovers, Manado could be an ideal destination to visit, as it has become one of the top destinations for the best traditional Indonesian cuisines, such as spicy chicken Rica-rica and Roa fish Rica-rica, with Klaapertart as a recommended dessert. 
 
Chinese tourists have, so far, visited only five destinations in the province: Manado, Tomohon, Bitung, Minahasa, and North Minahasa.
The local government is currently developing new destinations to boost foreign tourist arrivals. The province will promote Sitaro, Sangihe, and Talaud Islands, which have beautiful beaches and crystal clear water.(Antara)

'Wonderful Indonesia' Tourism Promotion at Tokyo's Shibuya Crossing/jean

(Reuters Photo/Thomas Peter)

Scenes from "Wonderful Indonesia," the country's official tourism marketing campaign, will be displayed on billboards at the famous Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo until mid-July.

According to I Gde Pitana, deputy for marketing development at the Ministry of Tourism, Japan is a strategic location for promoting Indonesian tourism during the school summer holiday.

"Japan is a promotional site because it is the summer school holiday from July 21 to Aug. 31. It will also be a holiday for all Japanese people from Aug. 11 to 20," Pitana was quoted as saying in a statement received by Jakarta Globe on Saturday (17/06).

The scenic images of Indonesia's beautiful attractions were previously displayed in numerous locations across the globe, including Times Square in New York and Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

Tokyo's Shibuya Crossing is one of the busiest sites in the world, with more than 670,000 people passing the area every day. "This is a tourist attraction for foreign tourists visiting Japan," Pitana said.
However, the area not only popular with overseas visitors, but also locals. It is close to another famous tourism attraction, the Hachiko Memorial Statue, which celebrates a famous dog whose story has been adapted to movies.

The images displayed at Shibuya Crossing feature highlights from Banyuwangi in East Java, Borobudur Temple in Yogyakarta and Nusa Penida in Bali. 

"The Tourism Ministry will continue to promote 'Wonderful Indonesia' in other countries, not only Japan. We will look for countries with high potential for travelers, as we are looking to attract more foreign tourists to Indonesia," Pitana said. Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said Indonesia and Japan have a long diplomatic and historic relationship that will potentially attract more Japanese tourists to the country.

"We hope that with the history and diplomatic relations, these 'Wonderful Indonesia' promotions will pique the curiosity of the Japanese to come and see Indonesia for themselves," Arief said(JakartaGlobe)