Surabaya, provincial capital of East Java and Indonesia’s second largest city has joined the Tourism Promotion Organization for Asia Pacific Cities (TPO). Tourism industry professionals expect this move to improve situation in this sector of Surabayan economy. The membership in TPO will make the East Java provincial capital more popular to the outside world. Surabaya Tourism Promotion Board Executive Director Yusak Anshori also believes that joining the TPO will increase the opportunity to lure investors in the tourism sector.
Surabaya is an interesting destination for tourists. There is number of historical sites among them for example Kali Mas harbor or the historic Hotel Majapahit, where Indonesia’s war of independence began. Grahadi State Buildings, an 18th century mansion, is also a noteworthy site. Tourists can admire local nature or visit one of the Southeast Asia’s oldest and largest zoos.
The Tourism Promotion Organization for Asia Pacific Cities (TPO) was founded at the fifth Asian-Pacific City Summit held in Fukuoka City in August 2002. The organization is in fact a city network aiming for development of the tourism industry through cooperation in marketing and promotion. The organization’s aim is to cooperate and exchange information about the tourism industry so that all the members have profit. The organization carries out joint projects to market and develop new tourism products. The TPO contributes to the development of human resource in tourism and performs many other activities helpful to the tourism industry. The TPO members are 56 cities in 12 countries in the Asia and Pacific region. The member cities are for example from Malaysia, Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, America or Russia. The fact is that there is a fierce competition in the globally booming tourism industry. The TPO members believe that within the organization they could effectively cope with various challenges through activities of exchange and cooperation.
