Flores Island familiarization trip for Destination Management Organizations

Our expert Girda Safitri has been involved in this project from 2013 until 2018. One of her main tasks was organized and supervised the familiarization trip for Flores Island from 2013 until 2015. A familiarization trip definition is a free (low cost) trip for travel agents or consultants, provided by a tourism board or Destination Management Organization (DMO) as a means of promoting their destination. The aim of the project is to increase the number of tourists from the EU markets to Flores Island by strengthening the capacity of Business Support Organisations (BSOs) and by supporting the private sector. The expert on institutional capacity building (BSO) works in the tourism program in Indonesia with the objective to develop capacity among selected Regional Tourism Boards, selected tourism support organizations and the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism in the field of destination marketing and branding and tourism marketing.

Products

Year

2013 – 2015

Country

Developing countries, Indonesia

Type of activity

  • Branding and Promotion

Year

2013 – 2015

Country

Developing countries, Indonesia

Type of activity

  • Branding and Promotion
The objectives of this project were as followed:
  • Promoting Flores Island as an emerging adventure destination in Indonesia to the European market.
  • Promoting new attraction in Flores beyond Komodo national park.
  • Connecting European buyers with the local stakeholder in Flores Island.
  • Capacity building of local stakeholders.
  • High exposure in international media.
  • Increasing the number of tourists from the European market.

Activities

  • Assessment of attractions.
  • Defining the itinerary for familiarization trip.
  • Proposal preparation and submission to stakeholders as a sponsor of familiarization trip.
  • Organizing and ensuring smooth collaboration between local stakeholders (Ministry of Tourism, local government, tourism association, national parks, local community, hotels, airlines, and tour operators).
  • Invitation dissemination for European buyers (tour operator, DMC) and press.

Results

  • 3 Familiarization trips for European buyers and press were successfully organized.
  • 50% funding from local stakeholders and 50% funding from international NGO.
  • Connecting 60 buyers from Europe with local tour operator and hotels.
  • 20 Contracts were made during the 3 events.
  • Flores island was featured in international media; National Geographic, Geo Saison, Fair Unterwegs, Colours (Garuda Indonesia in-flight magazine), Reuters, CNN Travel, BBC Travel, and Telegraph.co.uk.
  • Increasing numbers of international visitors from 62.000 in 2013 to 88.000 in 2015, with top 5 visitors country of origins from Germany, France, The Netherlands, UK, and Australia.