PT Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia (InJourney) and Thai Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance air connectivity between Thailand and Indonesia, specifically to the Borobudur Temple destination. This collaboration is expected to increase tourist numbers and promote the development of potential tourism destinations in Indonesia, particularly in Central Java.
The agreement was signed by Maya Watono, Director of Marketing and Tourism Programs at InJourney, and Wit Kitchathorn, Director of Sales at Thai Airways, in Jakarta on Monday, August 19, 2024.
Borobudur Temple’s Potential as a Spiritual Destination
Hetty Herawati, Commercial Director of InJourney Destination Management, stated that Borobudur Temple is utilized as a place of worship and meditation for Buddhist communities and tourists. With great potential as a global pilgrimage destination, Borobudur combines historical, spiritual, and philosophical values relevant to Buddhists and cultural experience seekers.
Various spiritual activities, such as the Waisak Full Moon Festival, are regularly held at Borobudur. Additionally, familiarization trips for tour operators from Thailand and other Buddhist-majority Asian countries are conducted to boost spiritual and cultural tourism and accelerate the growth of tourism in the Borobudur area.
Yogyakarta and Borobudur Temple are popular destinations among Thai tourists due to their spiritual connection through Buddhism. Thai Airways is committed to connecting travelers from Thailand, Europe, and Asia to Yogyakarta and hopes this partnership will benefit both parties.
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Development of Spiritual Tourism at Borobudur
Maya stated that Borobudur Temple will be developed as a destination for spiritual pilgrim tourism for Buddhists, in line with InJourney’s commitment to creating inclusive places of worship.
Given the high interest in spiritual tourism, InJourney is collaborating with Thai Airways to strengthen air connectivity to Borobudur Temple. With 64 million Buddhists in Thailand and 120 million in Southeast Asia, this connectivity holds significant potential for attracting tourists to Borobudur Temple.
She also mentioned that during peak season, Borobudur Temple is visited by 1.4 million tourists, with 10% of them being international visitors. With the opening of air routes from Thailand to Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA), it is expected that the number of foreign tourists could increase fivefold.
Maya also emphasized that InJourney is committed to providing an integrated experience through the synergy between airline services, airports, and destination management to develop Borobudur as a spiritual destination.
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Support from Various Parties
Pelita Air, an Indonesian domestic airline, welcomes this collaboration, hoping it will boost the still-developing domestic tourism market. InJourney Aviation Services (IAS), a subsidiary of InJourney specializing in aviation support services, cargo, and logistics, also supports this initiative with Joumpa services at 40 airports in Indonesia, ensuring efficient and comfortable passenger journeys from arrival to departure.
Meanwhile, the government is focusing on the development of integrated facilities and air connectivity in Central Java and Borobudur Temple to facilitate the flow of passengers and goods and to increase tourist visits to the region.
