FOREX REVENUE FROM TOURISM PROJECTED TO INCREASE SEVEN PCT

Yogyakarta, June 19 (ANTARA) - The government has projected the state's revenue from foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in 2009 at only seven percent, while last year the revenue reached 7.5 percent.

"This year the number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia will increase, but dropped in terms of the state's revenue compared to last year's 7.5 pct," Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said at Adisutjipto airport on Wednesday.

He said the drop in foreign exchange revenue was caused by a decline in the shopping spree by the foreign tourists.

He said the government has projected this year's foreign tourists visiting Indonesia at 6.5 million, up by 3 pct compared to last year's.
Jero Wacik visited Yogyakarta under a program of the Tourism Ministry providing a financial assistance of Rp8.5 billion to encourage 100 villages to develop the tourism sector in their respective areas.