REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – United States and Indonesia, through private partnership, sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on travel and tourism to increase the number of travelers. The MoU was signed on Tuesday between Receptive Services Association of America (RSAA) and the Association of the Indonesia Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA).

"We are already seeing an increase in the number of travelers to the US for business and education. Now the Embassy has introduced new initiatives to help make it even easier for Indonesians to travel to the US for tourism," US Ambassador to Indonesia, Scot Marciel, said on Tuesday night while hosting Tourism Reception in his residence.

He hopes the partnership would bring people to talk about tourism. He mentioned that the US was filled with the world class tourist destinations, from Hawaii, to Los Angeles, New York, and other destinations.

This agreement is expected to double number of Indonesian tourists coming to the US and vice versa. This MoU also allows both countries to cooperate on educational, marketing and networking activities.

To promote the increasing number of tourists, Ambassador Marciel encourages both countries to have direct flight. "We should have direct flight. I hope it can happen," he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of ASITA, Asnawi bahar, said that the agreement mainly aimed to increase the number of travelers from US coming to Indonesia. "We also want to promote Indonesia," he said at the same event.

He agreed that Indonesia and US need direct flight. Direct flight is considered to contribute to add more tourists visiting the country.

The effort is part of the US-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership inaugurated by US President Barack Obama and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in November 2010. The partnership aims to increase travel between Indonesian and the US.

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