Strengthens the European Market, Garuda Indonesia Ready to Support Foreign Tourists Visit to Indonesia

President Director of Garuda Indonesia, Arif Wibowo, answering reporters’ questions after received by President Jokowi, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Thursday (2/4)

Related with the efforts to meet the target of tourist arrivals to Indonesia, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in addition to meet with AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes, also call the President Director of PT. Garuda Indonesia Arif Wibowo.

“President asks what needs to get support, especially how to develop tourism,” said Arif told reporters after meeting with President Jokowi, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Thursday (2/4).

Arif explained, Garuda would continue expand to overseas to boost tourism, especially to strengthen flights to China and then Maldives. In addition, Garuda will also keep reinforcing to Europe, and will make Europe as a base for future the growth of Garuda as a global player.

President Director of Garuda argues that Denpasar should be the basis to attract tourists from outside to Indonesia and has seamless connection to domestic plus connection to Australia and vice versa. Jakarta also be used as a hub for Garuda, especially after Garuda has a new terminal at Angkasa Pura 2, in Cengkareng next year

“We hope that it will be the largest home base, and will be the hub of the Sky Team in the south, as Garuda the only one partner of Sky Team located in the southern region,” Arif said.

Arif hoped, this year Garuda Indonesia could support the target of tourist arrivals to provide enough seat for flights in Asia, especially in Singapore and Bangkok about 2.1 million people. Then the number of seats to Australia 950 thousand. “So the total seats from international to Indonesia we expect about 6.2 million,” he explained.

For Europe, according to the President Director of Garuda Indonesia, will be 5 times a day, so it can be up to 500 thousand seats. Therefore, Garuda consider strengthening the European market in the future, because look at the development of improved for Garuda there, specifically the Netherlands and the UK.

“We will add to other countries, the closest are 4 priority countries, there are German and French. So at least 4 cities. However, we are studying the Eastern Europe region. We are calculating, whether it is possible or not to be a consideration”, Arif said.

Regarding the support for the implementation of the Asia Africa conferences, Arif Wibowo said that Garuda Indonesia is ready to bring state officials from Jakarta to Bandung. “We prepare 4 (four) Boeing 737-800 planes. The first flight hours at 7 a.m. and then sequentially”, he concluded.  (Humas Setkab/ES)