SPEECH BY H.E. MOENIR ARI SOENANDA, CONSUL GENERAL OF INDONESIA AT THE OPENING OF SALES PROMOTION OF WEST NUSA TENGGARA IN CONJUNCTION OF VISIT SUMBAWA-LOMBOK 2012, EVERGREEN LAUREL HOTEL, 5 NOVEMBER 2009.

Assalumualaikum W.W.
-Yang Terhormat Ibu Krisni Astuti, Deputy Director Promotion for Asia Region, Ministry of Tourism & Culture of the Republic of Indonesia,
-Representative from West Nusa Tenggara Province,
-Representative from Travel Agents, Tour Operators in Penang,
-Distinguished Guests,
-Ladies and Gentlement.

It is indeed a great honour for the Indonesian Consulate General in Penang to be able to co-host the Sales Promotion for West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The event is initiated by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia for the purpose of promoting the West Nusa Tenggara Province, eastern part of Indonesia, especially in anticipating the Visit Sumbawa-Lombok 2012.

I would like to convey my gratitudes and appreciations to the Ministry of Tourism & Culture of the Republic of Indonesia for organizing the event and choosing Penang as one of the targets for tourism sales promotion of Indonesia. I do hope that the Sales Promotion will be successful at the end and be able to trigger more tourism from Penang and surroundings to West Nusa Tenggara.

The choice of Penang as a target for tourism promotion is really visible and reasonable since Penang is very potentials and has big advantages in term of economic advancement, high level of GDP and purchasing power.

Penang is one of the largest economy amongst the states of Malaysia. Manufacturing is the most important component of the Penang economy, contributing significantly to the State's GDP. Penang is highly industrialised with high-tech and center for ICT. Penang is also a hub for international trades connecting all points of the world. George Town, capital of Penang is an international city and among the top ten locations in Asia where European expatriates prefer to work and live. Penang is also among the best destinations for the world tourism.

Penang has positioned itself as a logistic hub and international gateway for tourists, high-tech manufacturing and much more.

With all that considerations, it is indeed timely for launching the Sales Promotion of the West Nusa Tenggara Province in Penang. Through this sales mission I do hope that it will be able to tap and take advantages of the Penang economic advancement, and that spill-over of the economic progress and high purchasing power of Penang will be able to flow further to West Nusa Tenggara regions.

For that reasons, pro-active and aggressive promotion is needed in order to be able to expose exhaustedly all potentials of West Nusa Tenggara in tourism sectors. If necessary, the West Nusa Tenggara Cultural & Tourism Festival can be organized in Penang and Indonesian Consulate General is mostly welcomed and ready to be co-host of that event.

Indonesian Consulate General in Penang has been very active in the efforts of promoting Indonesian Tourism & Culture in Penang. Various Tourism Promotion, Cultural Performance and Exhibition has been organized in cooperation with regional tourism offices from all parts of Indonesia. All come with success in luring both local Malaysian or foreign tourists from Penang to Indonesia.

I do hope that by organizing sales tourism promotion of West Nusa Tenggara this morning will be able to ensure to the audiences which are mostly travel agents and tour operators that indeed West Nusa Tenggara is the best place for tourism, enjoy the beautiful panorama and culture and also hospitality of the people.

At the end, the package tours for West Nusa Tenggara destinations will become the options to be arranged by travels agents and tour operators in Penang, beside the existing options of the package tour to the destinations like Bali, Yogjakarta, Bandung etc.

Thank you very much.
Wassalamualaikum W.W.