BANDUNG, September 14, 2026 — The Regional Executive Board of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies of East Nusa Tenggara (DPD ASITA Nusa Tenggara Timur/DPD ASITA NTT) participated in West Java Travel Mart 2026, held in Bandung on September 13–14, 2026, as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen destination product knowledge, expand industry networks, and explore new opportunities for cross-regional tourism promotion.
For DPD ASITA NTT, participation in the event was not merely about establishing business connections, but also about gaining first-hand knowledge of tourism destinations and products in West Java. As inbound tour operators, ASITA members need to understand a wide range of destinations across Indonesia in order to develop competitive travel products for both international and domestic markets.
Strengthening Product Knowledge through Direct Experience
Chairman of DPD ASITA NTT Oyan Kristian emphasized that understanding destinations directly is an important part of the work of professional tour operators.
“As inbound tour operators, we cannot limit our knowledge to destinations in our own regions. We need to understand Indonesia more broadly because travelers coming to Indonesia have diverse interests and travel preferences. By understanding destinations across different provinces, we can create more attractive travel combinations while opening up new business opportunities for the Indonesian tourism industry,” Oyan Kristian said.
West Java offers a diverse tourism portfolio, ranging from cultural heritage and natural landscapes to culinary experiences and historical attractions. Bandung, in particular, has an important place in Indonesia’s national history and has hosted a number of significant international conferences, adding further depth to the destination’s tourism narrative.
According to Oyan, this diversity provides valuable opportunities for travel professionals to develop products based on different market segments.
“West Java offers a very complete tourism experience. Travelers can enjoy nature, culture, culinary experiences, history, and stories connected to Indonesia’s national journey. For travel agents, this diversity is highly valuable because it allows us to develop itineraries based on the interests and characteristics of different markets,” he added.
Experiencing West Java Tourism Products First-Hand
During West Java Travel Mart 2026, delegates had the opportunity to experience several tourism and hospitality products directly.
The program began with a golf experience at Dago Golf Heritage, followed by a welcome dinner at The Jayakarta Hotel Bandung. The following day, participants took part in a business matching session at Sari Ater Hotel, creating opportunities to establish connections between tourism industry stakeholders.
The program continued with a site inspection of the Sari Ater area, which is well known for its natural hot springs and surrounding natural environment. The event concluded with a farewell dinner before delegates returned to their respective destinations.
For ASITA NTT, the direct experience gained through the program provides valuable insight into how tourism destinations can be packaged and marketed to different visitor segments.
“For tour operators, product knowledge cannot be obtained solely through brochures or presentations. We need to see, experience, and understand a destination directly so that we can promote and sell it more effectively. Through experiences such as those offered during West Java Travel Mart, we gain a much clearer understanding of how a destination can be developed into a marketable tourism product,” Oyan explained.
Building Cross-Regional Tourism Opportunities
DPD ASITA NTT also views participation in West Java Travel Mart as an opportunity to strengthen connections between tourism industries across different regions of Indonesia.
The organization believes that Indonesia’s tourism destinations should not be marketed as isolated products. Instead, destinations across provinces can be connected through integrated itineraries, allowing travelers to experience multiple destinations during a single trip.
“Going forward, we need to look at Indonesia as one interconnected tourism ecosystem. Travelers visiting Labuan Bajo, for example, may continue their journey to Bali, Java, West Java, or other destinations. Likewise, visitors traveling to West Java can be introduced to East Nusa Tenggara. This is why stronger networks among travel industry players across regions are so important,” Oyan said.
This cross-regional approach is particularly relevant for inbound tourism, where international travelers often seek multi-destination experiences rather than visiting only one location.
For ASITA NTT, expanding destination knowledge is therefore part of a broader strategy to strengthen the competitiveness of Indonesian tourism products and encourage collaboration among tourism stakeholders across the country.
Connecting Indonesia’s Tourism Diversity with the Market
The participation of DPD ASITA NTT in West Java Travel Mart 2026 also reflects the association’s commitment to continuously improving the capacity of travel professionals to understand, package, and market Indonesian tourism products.
By experiencing destinations directly and connecting with tourism stakeholders from other regions, travel agencies can gain stronger product knowledge while identifying opportunities to develop new travel packages and cross-regional itineraries.
“Indonesian tourism is strong because of its diversity. Our role as travel industry players is to connect that diversity with the market. The more destinations we understand, the more stories and experiences we can offer to travelers,” Oyan concluded.
DPD ASITA NTT hopes that positive initiatives such as West Java Travel Mart will continue to strengthen cooperation among tourism stakeholders and contribute to increasing visitor arrivals to West Java, while at the same time creating broader opportunities for cross-regional tourism promotion across Indonesia.
About DPD ASITA NTT
The Regional Executive Board of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies of East Nusa Tenggara (DPD ASITA Nusa Tenggara Timur/DPD ASITA NTT) represents travel agencies and tourism industry professionals in East Nusa Tenggara. The organization is committed to strengthening the professionalism and competitiveness of the travel industry while promoting quality, sustainable, inclusive, and market-oriented tourism development across East Nusa Tenggara and Indonesia.
