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THE Batam City Tourism Office has outlined a target to draw foreign tourists especially from Europe.
According to Ardiwinata, head of the Batam City Tourism Office, said we are optimistic of being able to penetrate the European market. During an online discussion with the Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO), or Indonesian tourism officers overseas, in the Netherlands and France, it was highlighted that European tourists were known to love traveling to tropical islands, being drawn to nature tourism and local culture.
“Batam has over 300 islands, with white sandy beaches and natural mangrove forests. The Batam Sea also has a profuse underwater ecosystem, replete with vibrant corals and a plethora of fish species. Batam has a distinctive advantage as it is relatively easy to access owing to its proximity to Singapore that has flight routes to various countries in Europe,” he said.
Ardiwinata explained that tt only takes a few hours by sea from Singapore to reach the exotic islands in Batam, thereby making it easier for travelers. Batam has everything that European tourists are looking for. Our opportunities are clearly huge.
However, Ardiwinata did acknowledge existing challenges in drawing European tourists, as they have tastes and preferences that differ from Asian tourists. Most of Batam’s tour agents are accustomed to catering to Asian tourists, he added.
“European tourists prefer long vacations, while Asian travelers prefer short visits. Moreover, European tourists generally plan their holidays well in advance, even as far as two years beforehand, while Asian tourists are more spontaneous,” Ardiwinata concluded. [antaranews/photo special]
