WEST Java Tourism Promotion Board (WJTPB) is planning to install a dedicated marketing representative in Malaysia to boost arrivals and promote other Javanese attractions beyond Bandung.

WJTPB chairman, Cecep Rukmana, said: “Malaysia is a very important market for us. In term of numbers, they are the biggest regional market for us. However, (Malaysians) are still concentrating on visiting Bandung for bulk shopping and culinary tours.”

Rukmana added that destinations such as Garut, Tasikmalaya, Cirebon and Kuningan offered an abundance of natural and cultural attractions, in addition to new hotel developments, and were thus ripe for promotions.

According to Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association West Java chairman, Herman Muchtar, WJTPB is cooperating with the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO) Malaysia to grow Malaysian footfalls to the region.

“Although the number of arrivals from Malaysia is the largest – 145,000 arrivals in 2010 with an estimated growth of 10 to 13 per cent last year – it is still very small compared to the potential. Our target is to achieve between 300,000 and 350,000 arrivals within the next four years," he said.

Welcoming the initiatives, VITO Malaysia manager, Mohd Shafie Obet, said: “Having a dedicated representative will certainly help me to promote Indonesia in general, particularly West Java, better.”