Bali Travel Fair 2017 To Promote S Sumatra Tourism Potential

Nusa Dua (Antara Bali) - Bali and Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) 2017 which was held from June 7 to 11, will be promoting the tourism potential of South Sumatra province.

"The provincial administration is ready to promote BBTF 2017," the Head of Promotion at South Sumatra`s Culture and Tourism Office said in a press statement received by Antara here Saturday after the closing of BBTF 2016.

The plan in promoting the province`s potential is line with the Asian Games 2018 which will be held in Palembang.

The tourism fair has improved in terms of the amount of transactions and the quality of platinum buyers, organizer of BBTF 2016 Ketut Ardana said.

"The amount of transactions at BBTF 2016 reached Rp6.88 trillion, or an increase of 30.8 percent compared with that of last year," Ardana noted.

The number of platinum buyers, or the tourism business players who are able to invite more than 10 thousand tourists per year, has increased from 17 in 2015 to 77.

Some 222 buyers from 30 countries and 154 sellers from 20 provinces across the nation participated in the BBTF 2016.

Besides an exhibition and business meeting, Bali Travel Fairs also featured tour to four tourist destinations namely Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara), Labuan Bajo (East Nusa Tenggara), Banyuwangi (East Java) and Tana Toraja (South Sulawesi).

Tana Toraja, which is a district of South Sulawesi province and home to the Toraja ethnic group, was the co-host of BBTF 2016.

During BBTF 2017 there is a plan to invite tourist operators from ASEAN countries.(WDY)