This year, some 500 multinational companies are participating in the event."
Surabaya (ANTARA News) - The 8th Indonesian Corporate Meetings and Incentives Travel Mart (ICMITM) being held in Surabaya, East Java province, is expected to increase tourist arrivals, an official of the Ministry of Tourism said.

"The ICMITM began on May 7 and will go on till May 9. It aims to optimize business opportunities in the tourism sector, especially in the fields of Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE)," Director General of Tourism Markets of the Ministry of Tourism Esthy Reko Astuty stated here on Friday.

She added that the number of participants at the event increased by the year.

"This year, some 500 multinational companies are participating in the event," she affirmed, adding that 30 percent of them were newcomers comprising companies and providers of MICE facilities from across Indonesia.

"Such companies include hotel industries, meeting room providers, transportation service companies, tour and travel agents, theme park management, as well as team building and event organizers," Astuty noted.

Moreover, she hopes that the annual event is not held only as a business meeting but promotes East Java as a MICE destination. Also, there are several MICE venues in Surabaya that can accommodate thousands of people.

The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism expects 12 million tourist arrivals in 2015. "Of this number, we hope 3 percent will be from MICE companies," she remarked.

In addition, Head of Card Business of Bank Danamon Indonesia Lukas Djoesianto said that Indonesian tourism was improving through the MICE sector.

"The ICMITM provides an opportunity for companies to meet and interact with leading tourism business players, both domestic and foreign," he pointed out.

Djoesianto added that the meeting will help the national tourism industry continue to grow to actively boost Indonesias economy, by providing job opportunities for the community, for instance.

***3***

(T.KR-LWA/INE)

EDITED BY INE

(H-YH)



(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/A/H-YH) 08-05-2015 17:30:25

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2015