Robust business in Indonesia boosts corporate travel performance

A BUOYANT economy and rising domestic and international investments in Indonesia are spurring the growth of business travel within the country.

Buyers attending the Indonesia Corporate Meeting & Incentive Travel Mart 2013, which concluded in Semarang, Central Java last Saturday, told TTGmice e-Weekly that their clients were spending 10 to 20 per cent more on business travel and taking their events to more destinations in Indonesia.

Carlson Wagonlit Travel programme executive, Deesy Ngelyaratan, said: “We have been getting new businesses since last year, especially from the energy service sector. This year we expect business to grow up to 50 per cent compared to 2012.”

Illustrating how better business sentiments are encouraging companies to invest more in events, pharmaceutical company Sandoz Indonesia has allotted more budget for training this year, in anticipation of a 20 per cent growth in business.

Business events are also spilling out of major Indonesian cities and into secondary destinations, as companies expand their business network deeper into the country.

Insurance firm Tugu Pratama, which has been expanding its business across Indonesia, is sourcing for hotels located around its branch offices in cities such as Balikpapan, Medan and Surabaya.

“Business growth leads to more movements, be it for training, meetings or sales. It is more convenient for our travellers to be accommodated in hotels near our offices,” explained Gilang Gita Purchila, senior administrator – HRD and GA Group with Tugu Pratama Indonesia.

Agility general affairs manager, Lina Salim, said the development of event facilities and services outside of key cities gave her an opportunity to organise events in new destinations.

“I met a seller who offers teambuilding facilities in Garut (located two hours from Bandung), which can be suitable for my company’s events,” she said.

According to Aston Pontianak Hotel and Convention Center’s director of sales and marketing, Bambang Wijanarko, corporate clients tend to first explore the more familiar or developed cities in Kalimantan, before bringing their events to other destinations in the region.

Bambang said: “They will start with Balikpapan and Samarinda in East Kalimantan, followed by Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan and then to Pontianak. Hence, the number of corporate events (at Aston Pontianak Hotel and Convention Center) may not be that many yet, although we have groups from heavy equipment, building and construction, and pharmaceutical companies with 50 to 100 pax each.”

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