INDONESIA - The Pied Piper of MICE

Balidiscovery.com, (10/29/2006)

As reported on balidiscovery.com, Indonesia’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, [Minister Wacik to Establish a Directorate of MICE],recently announced his intention to establish MICE Directorate in order to promote and encourage inbound conference, convention and exhibition business Indonesia.

Following the announcement by the Minister, the Chairman of the Bali Chapter of the Indonesia Congress and Convention Association (INACCA), Ida Bagus Lolelc, said the Government’s plan to create a MICE Directorate was a good idea, although the timing was late. In comments made by Lolec to the Indonesian language Bali Post, Lolec suggested the proper timing for the new government department was following the first terrorist attack in 2002 in order to address the numerous travel warnings and advisories that have devastated Indonesia's international inbound MICE market.

Lolec hopes the soon-to-be-established MICE Directorate will establish a priority of tasks, giving emphasis to inter-departmental efforts with the National Police and the Minister of Political Affairs and Security (POLKAM) to coordinate an international lobbying effort to downgrade the current cautionary travel warnings and travel advisories.

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