REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MACAU -- Indonesia is for the first time conducting a promotional tour in Macau, Hong Kong, in a bid to increase the number of tourist arrivals in the coming years.

"This is the first time that we are exploring whether Macau has the potential to become a tourism market for Indonesia," Deputy Assistant for Southeast Asia Market Development of the Ministry of Tourism Rizki Handayani Mustafa stated here on Thursday.

Data from the Ministry of Tourism revealed that 1,622 tourists from Macau visited Indonesia in 2014.

He said the government is promoting the "Wonderful Indonesia" brand to introduce the country's tourist attractions that are worth visiting.

Travel agency director Xiao Hong noted that so far only few people from Macau knew about Indonesia and had traveled to the country.

"They know Indonesia but had never been there," he remarked.

Therefore, he emphasized that Indonesia should intensify its tourism promotion activities in Macau.

"The people of Macau also have high spending power, so the country is a potential market for Indonesian tourism. Moreover, several Chinese travelers visiting Macau can also make a trip to Indonesia," he remarked.

General Manager of Garuda Indonesia to Hong Kong and Macao Bobby A. Rusyandi stated that Garuda has been cooperating with a ferry company that connects Macau to Hong Kong.

"So, the people of Macau who are going to Indonesia by Garuda Indonesia can use the Macau-Hong Kong ferry service and then fly with Garuda Indonesia from Hong Kong or via the Hong Kong-Jakarta-Denpasar route and vice versa," he noted.

However, he added that most of the people of Macau prefer direct flights.

"They opt for flights from Macau to Kuala Lumpur and then continue their air travel to some destinations in Indonesia," Bobby added.

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