Indonesia & Bali Tourism New

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Culture and Tourism minister Jero Wacik has asked the blogger community to help promote Indonesia`s tourist sites among the international public.

In a prepared speech read by a senior tourism official at a Blogger Party 2008 here Saturday, the minister said ,”The second blogger party will stimulate online network growth in Indonesia. It can make blogs a more effective media to promote tourism.” (more…)

Latest Tourism Arrivals Figures

Indonesia has seen a strong start to 2008 tourist arrival figures. The number of tourists visiting the archipelago during the first quarter increased by 15.68% year on year (y-o-y), to 1,405,456. This increase is very much in line with BMI’s own expectations of a 15% annual rise, so we see no reason to modify our forecasts this quarter. Bali continues to be the engine driving the wider Indonesian tourism industry, with the island welcoming some 197,700 tourists in February alone, an increase of almost 30%.

Adam Air Grounded (more…)

The tiny Furby-like pygmy tarsier, presumed to be extinct, was found during a recent expedition to Indonesia. And the cuddly, huge-eyed nocturnal critter is the very definition of cute.

“They always look like they have a perpetual smile on their face, which adds to the attraction,” says physical anthropologist Sharon Gursky-Doyen, who found the presumed lost species. (more…)

Niken Prathivi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Cycling Association (ISSI) is reviving the annual Tour de Indonesia after a hiatus last year with more challenging runs promised for the event starting this Sunday.

Around 90 riders from eight international teams and eight local teams have confirmed participation in the race and will battle it out for a total US$100,000 in prize money.

According to event director Sofian Ruzian, the Tour de Indonesia would challenge riders with more demanding routes. (more…)