Visit Indonesia Tourism Office marketing manager Craig Gibbons said Bali is the main drawcard for most Kiwis but getting them beyond their comfort zone is not an easy task.

 

The tourism office only keeps a record of Australian figures, but Gibbons said the numbers reflect much the same pattern for Kiwi travel.

 

“Last year we had 750,000 Australians visit Indonesia and of that figure 730,000 only went to Bali,” said Gibbons. “Sometimes they go onto Lombok, but not much further.”

 

Gibbons said the challenge lies in getting people out to places that are less developed than Bali and its surrounding islands, which are known for their five-star resorts and exclusive retreats.

 

“Our main goal is to promote Indonesia beyond Bali,” said Gibbons. “It’s a very big country. The further east you go away from Bali the infrastructure declines a little and so it usually only attracts the more intrepid tourist.”

 

From New Zealand, those ‘tourists’ are often surfers, attracted by the country’s impressive waves and isolated beaches.

 

“Surfers seem to be the most well travelled tourist type in Indonesia travelling from the northern tip of Sumatra all the way down across to Indonesian Timor. That’s where we see Kiwi surfers ending up. They’re often in places that are not high on the tourism radar.”

 

For those clients who like their creature comforts, Gibbons suggests sticking to the Western side of the country where places like Java and Sumatra offer a range of five star resorts.

 

Meantime, the Indonesian side of Borneo is a haven for adventure based activities, as well as flora and fauna expeditions and clients might even come across orangutans.

 

“If clients are interested in history and culture there’s a lot of organised tours running through Sumatra and Java. Travel agents in New Zealand can book through Garuda, Orient Holidays and Geckos,” said Gibbons. “To travel to the eastern side, to places such as Sulawesi, Flores and Papua, it becomes more of an independent trip for people who are interested in trekking and diving.”

 

Gecko’s Adventures, who specialise in tours for clients aged 18 to 35, do a 22-day Indonesian Paradise tour which takes in a large chunk of the country. 

 

“When people think of Indonesia they usually only think of Bali beach resorts but there’s much more to it than that,” said Gecko’s representative Jane Reed. “Travelling is about immersing yourself in the local culture, grassroots adventure, getting off the beaten track, interacting with the locals, getting on and off local transport - it’s about having an authentic experience.”

 

This is the first year the programme has been introduced but Reed said it is slowly building and they have some good forward bookings out of New Zealand for 2012.

 

Indonesian Paradise is priced at $2918 per person including local payment.