Obama'a Visit Boosts Indonesia's Tourism: Legislator

Jakarta, July 7 (Antara) - Deputy Chairman of Commission X of the House of Representatives, Sutan Adil Hendra, said the visit of former US President Barack Obama with his family members recently has boosted the image of Indonesian tourism in the world.

"Since Obama's vacation to Bali and Yogya, Google's search traffic on those provinces has been tremendously improving," Sutan Adil Hendra said here on Thursday.

According to him, that momentum should be used as an opportunity to promote the country's tourism overseas to meet the target of 20 million tourists by 2019 and improve the national economy.

Earlier, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi expressed the hope the arrival of former President Barack Obama would promote Indonesian tourism sector in the world.

"My hope, Obama's arrival would not be just a visit, but would boost Indonesian tourism," the minister said.

During the vacation in Indonesia, the 44th US President with his family had visited many tourist attractions.

Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has asked the travel agency association and online travel agents to design Obama's historical tour packages.

Arief said the tour package can contain trips to places that had been visited by Barack Obama during his vacation in Indonesia.

The Bali administration is expecting an increase in American tourist visits as the impact of Obama's vacation in the province.

"The visit of a world leader to our area is a free promotion for Bali to the international world," Head of Bali's Tourism Office Anak Agung Yuniartha Putra said.

He believed that after the visit of Barack Obama to Bali the number of US tourists visiting Indonesia and other places in the country will be increasing.(*)