AMBIKA SONI INVITES INDONESIAN INVESTMENT IN HOTEL SECTOR IN INDIA

AMBIKA SONI INVITES INDONESIAN INVESTMENT IN HOTEL SECTOR IN INDIA

A high level 15 member Indonesian Parliamentarian Delegation led by Mr. Abdul Hakam Naja, Vice Speaker of the Commissioner called on the Tourism and Culture Minister Smt. Ambika Soni here today. During their one hour meeting both sides discussed matters related to tourism and culture sector. The Tourism and Culture Minister told the visiting delegation about the steps taken by India to promote domestic as well as international tourism in the country. She said in the year 2006 more than 4.43 million tourists visited India and we are expecting 10 million foreign tourists into the country by 2010. She said the Government may allow visa on arrival facility once the upgradation and modernization of Delhi and Mumbai airports is complete. She said the move to give visa on arrival will also get facilitated with airlines giving advance passenger information to security agencies. Smt. Soni informed the Indonesian Parliamentarians that 100 % foreign direct investment is allowed in hotel sector in India and already 6.5 billion US $ is in the pipeline in hotel construction. The Minister invited the Indonesian investors to invest in the hotel industry in India. She said some of the areas of cooperation between the two countries which can be strengthened are human resource development in tourism sector, capacity building, participation in tourism marts and fairs, exchange of travel correspondents and writers and holding of exhibitions of art and culture in each other’s country. She said both the countries can contribute significantly in promoting regional cooperation in Asia-Pacific region in the tourism sector. The Minister also recalled visit of Indian expert to assess the earthquake damaged Prambanan World Heritage Site and Tamansari Water Castle at Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The visiting delegation showed keen interest in the activities taking place in tourism and film sector in India and discussed the ways to further strengthen the cooperation in the sector between the two countries.

India Tourism Office in Singapore looks after the Indonesian market. It participates in travel fairs and exhibitions held in Indonesia to showcase Indian tourism products to the consumers and travel trade of Indonesia. It is slated to participate in Indonesia Trade Fiesta 2007 from Ist August, 2007 at Jakarta and PATA Travel Mart at Bali in September, 2007. Six travel agents in 2005-06 and one travel writer was invited to India in 2006-07 under the hospitality scheme of the Ministry.