Tourism key to Indonesia’s investment growth hinh anh 1Tanah Lot Temple in Bali island (Photo: lonelyplanet.com)

Jakarta (VNA) - The Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said Indonesia remains an attractive destination for investors, with tourism considered key contributor to investment growth.

BKPM Chairman Thomas Lembong said based on nearly 44 billion USD of investment recorded last year, a higher target could be set for 2017.

He pointed to tourism as a major earner, adding that investors were expressing their interest in the promising but underdeveloped sector.

In 2016, tourism contributed 172 trillion Rp (13 billion USD) to state revenue.

Indonesia is aiming to welcome 15 million visitors this year.

The country expects to lure 20 million tourists annually by 2019, almost double the current figure of approximately 12 million visitors on average.

The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism has announced that it will build ten destinations dubbed “new Balis” to boost the tourism industry. The destinations include Lake Toba (North Sumatra), Seribu Islands (Jakarta), Borobudur Temple (Central Java) and Mount Bromo (East Java).-VNA
VNA