JAKRATA ~

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has asked the Indonesian Tourism Promotion Board (BPPI) to suggest solutions and strategies to promote tourism.

“We have asked the BPPI to provide us with inputs and solutions to tourism promotion problems so that we can draw up a strategic tourism plan,” the minister said here on Saturday.

Earlier, on Thursday, the minister received the executives of the BPPI led by chairman K. Ray.

The meeting was aimed at analyzing various tourism programs and activities as part of the efforts to promote the country as a tourism destination.

“We are asking for inputs from the BPPI as it has become one of our working partners based on Presidential Decision No. 22 /2011,” the minister noted.

Regarding tourism promotion, Minister Arief stated that rebranding was essential to promote Indonesia’s tourism.

The country’s current tourism promotional slogan is “Wonderful Indonesia,” which was launched in 2011 to replace “Visit Indonesia,” the earlier slogan.

“We will think about it (the tourism brand). If we decide to retain the old brand, I will relaunch it. If there is a new one, then I will launch it. ‘Wonderful Indonesia’ or ‘Remarkable Indonesia,’ whichever slogan we choose, I will ensure it is simple,” Arief stated after the handover ceremony at the Tourism Ministry office on Tuesday.

Arief emphasized that in order to maximize its functionality, the Indonesian tourism brand must be unified, which means it should involve all stakeholders.

“For instance, if we decide on ‘Indonesia WOW (abbreviation for World of Wonderful),’ we all must agree to use that slogan. We (the Tourism Ministry), the media, and everybody else must use one strong brand to promote Indonesia,” he explained.

The use of a brand name to promote tourism was considered effective to push a country as a tourism destination. In the Southeast Asian region, Malaysia uses “Malaysia, Truly Asia”, which has been recognized as the most successful tourism brand in Asia.

Not fewer than 28 million international tourists have visited Malaysia, and it received the “Best Long Term Marketing and Branding Campaign Gold Awards” in 2008.

Other ASEAN member countries also use their unique brands to promote their tourism potential such as “Brunei, the Green Heart of Borneo”; “Cambodia, Kingdom of Wonder”; “Laos, Simply Beautiful”; “Mystical Myanmar”; “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”; “Your Singapore”; “Amazing Thailand, Always Amazes You”; and “Vietnam, Timeless Charm.”