INDONESIA TARGETS TO EARN US$4 BILLION FROM MARINE TOURISM

Bogor, W Java, Feb 17 (Antara)- The Indonesian government has set a target to earn US$4 billion from marine tourism this year. "It is ironic that marine tourism just contributed 10 percent (of the total tourism earnings)," Tourism Minister Arief Yahya stated at the Bogor Palace, Monday, after attending a limited cabinet meeting on tourism led by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). Indonesia's marine tourism potential is huge and surpasses that of Malaysia, which earned 40 percent of its tourism revenue from marine tourism, according to him. "Therefore, we will double the target (of marine tourism revenue) from 10 percent to 20 percent over the next five years," he stated. The foreign exchange earnings from marine tourism are expected to increase from US$1 billion to US$4 billion. "Because two-third of the world's coral reefs exist in Indonesia," he noted. Indonesia plans to lure luxurious cruise ships and yachts to bring tourists to the world's largest archipelagic nation. "We have started to invite cruise ships to Indonesia. This year, we plan to organize at least 12 events involving yachts," he remarked. Cruise ships are expected to visit 10 Indonesian seaports this year.