Gov't to Develop 10 Destinations to Become Centers for MICE Tourism
Jakarta. The Ministry of Tourism plans to develop 10 destinations in Indonesia to become leading centers for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, or MICE, the ministry said in a statement released on Thursday (27/04).
MICE is a type of tourism in which large groups, usually planned well in advance, are brought together for a particular purpose. In the case of incentive tourism, employees are rewarded by a company or institution for targets met or exceeded, or a job well done.
MICE events are usually centered on a theme or topic and are aimed at a professional, academic or trade organization or other special interest groups.
The ministry will develop 10 destinations, referred to as "Bali Baru" ("New Bali"): Bangka Belitung Islands, Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Thousand Islands in Jakarta, Kota Tua Jakarta, Borobudur Temple in Central Java, Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi and Morotai in North Maluku.
To boost MICE tourism to the destinations, the ministry plans to work together with all stakeholders involved, not only government bodies and private travel agencies, but also the media, scholars, civil society leaders and tourism ambassadors.
The ministry's head of marketing and business development, Hidayat, said that MICE has the potential to drive tourists to Indonesia, both in terms of its market size and sustainability.
"Indonesia's MICE destinations are getting a lot of attention. The country has beautiful natural landscapes, so there will be interesting travel packages combining MICE [destinations] and tourist activities," Hidayat said.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya added that MICE tourism is becoming more appealing to the industry as securing major events can benefit the local economy of the host city or country.
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