REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DENPASAR -- The Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (Asita) in Bali will fully support the Visit Indonesia 2018 to meet the target of 20 million foreign visits up to 2019.

Asita Bali Chairman Ketut Ardana remarked here on Monday that the government should concentrate on the 10 main tourism destinations to make Visit Indonesia 2018 a great success. "If needed, Visit Indonesia program must be held every year to attract more domestic and foreign tourists," Ardana stated on Monday

According to him, the province of Bali is ready to welcome the program, because the island resort is a regional liaison to attract foreign tourists to Indonesia. The Ministry of Tourism is offering 10 prioritized tourism destinations known as the "10 New Balis" to boost the national tourism industry. Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya has stated that the term "New Bali" is an idiomatic expression being used with the expectation that the new destinations offered would attract as many tourists as those visiting Bali Island.

The 10 prioritised tourism destinations in 2016 are Lake Toba (North Sumatra), Belitung (Bangka Belitung), Tanjung Lesung (Banten), Seribu Islands ( Jakarta), Borobudur Temple (Central Java), Mount Bromo (East Java), Mandalika Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara), Komodo Island (East Nusa Tenggara), Wakatobi National Park (Southeast Sulawesi) and Morotai (North Maluku).

Bali is one of the iconic tourism destinations Indonesia, which attracts around 4 million tourists a year, or 40 percent of the total tourists visiting the country. "Bali is a destination that already occupies a prestigious spot on the worlds tourism map," Yahya pointed out.

However, the 10 prioritized destinations will not be developed to resemble Bali as each of them have their own distinct characteristics. "Each of them have their own combination of natural and cultural attractions to offer. Such diversity will make us rich in terms of the attractions, culture and traditions. The uniqueness of each region can be explored," Yahya remarked.

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