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ENTERING the 37th year of organizing the TTC Travel Mart this year, the annual event of the travel market titled TTC Travel Mart International is held in two big cities, namely in Jakarta, at Redtop Hotel on Tuesday (02/14), and in Surabaya, at JW Mariott on (02/16), 2023.
According to Kidung Pascalis, Project Manager of TTC Indonesia during the event, on Tuesday (14/2) said, graphically after the COVID-19 pandemic TTC Travel Mart International began to increase. Although not one hundred percent before the pandemic. But the enthusiasm of sellers and buyers continues to grow.
“From last year’s TTC Travel Mart International data, the total number of sellers’ tables in Jakarta was only 60 with a total of 60 sellers, and in Surabaya there were only 40 tables. This year in Jakarta the total tables reached 88 tables and in Surabaya more than 40, with an increase in sellers of about 50% from the previous year,” he said.
In terms of buyers, Pascalis continued, many new players have also emerged. The buyers’ response was enthusiastic. The registration data of buyers who participated in Jakarta amounted to more than a thousand participants. Then in Surabaya, the data of buyers who registered more than 450 buyers.
In organizing TTC Travel Mart International 2023, there were participants with new destination countries, such as Pakistan, Iran, Jordan, Africa, and China. “The most surprising is China. When the border opened, the travel agency immediately participated in the TTC Travel Mart International and this is the first time for China to participate in this event,” he explained.
Since the pandemic, what is worth nothing is the diverse profile of sellers. Many sellers on average want to try the Indonesian market. “There are also sellers who have never played before. And there are also sellers who are confident and want to focus on selling again this year,” explained Pascal.
As for COMO Hotels and Resorts – a luxury brand for accommodation spread across various countries – admitted that this was the first time participating in TTC Travel Mart International in two locations at once, namely in Jakarta and Surabaya.
Meanwhile Taufik Rahman, Senior Global Director of Sales – Asia Pacific said, COMO Hotels & Resorts participated in this annual event only targeting the COMO brand to be recognized by buyers from Indonesia.
“In addition, the organization of TTC Indonesia has extensive networking, Jakarta and Surabaya are indeed a potential and very large market share. “In these two cities, we want to offer a luxurious, personalized travel experience and facilities that can be selected individually at each COMO property,” he remarked.
Taufik added, COMO Hotels and Resorts is a Singapore-based company that operates hotels in Fiji, Perth – Australia, Bali – Indonesia, Phuket & Bangkok – Thailand, Italy, Maldives, Bhutan, Turks & Caicos Island.
“Seeing the rapid flow of hospitality expansion, COMO Hotels and Resorts has chosen to refine its hospitality model to provide exclusivity to its guests and loyalists who make this brand so special,” Taufik explained.
Likewise, Iris Tee, Assistant Director of Sales of Thompsons Gateway PTE LTD-Tour Operator that sells South African destinations stated that she saw Indonesia’s market was very large. Moreover, what she is targeting is tourists who are really established. So, there is no reason to join the TTC Travel Mart International held in Jakarta and Surabaya.
“Actually, we have been promoting and selling South Africa in Indonesia for 30 years. It’s just that it’s still not maximized,” she said.
Iris admitted, there are indeed obstacles because Indonesia’s market has not been maximized, including the absence of direct flights to outdoor destinations (adventure) in Africa. So Indonesian tourists must first transit to Singapore.
The characteristics of tourists who visit Africa are incentive tourists in large numbers with a minimum trip length of seven days, with an age between 30-40 years. And favorite destinations include the city of Johannesburg, Victoria, and so on.
The number of Indonesian tourists entering South Africa in a year averages 200 people per year. “By participating in travel roadshows such as participating in the TTC Travel Mart, it is hoped that more Indonesian tourists will visit there,” concluded Iris Tee. [traveltext.id]
