KARANGASEM ~ Twenty Thai journalists, in a visit organized by the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok in conjunction with the Culture and Tourism Ministry, were welcomed here this week by Karangasem Regent I Wayan Geredeg in Candidasa.

The journalists were invited to Karangasem as part of a continuous effort to bring in more tourists from Thailand, Geredeg said.

The tour was also aimed at introducing Indonesia’s culture and natural landscape to Thailand through mass media promotion, official Ganda Sumantri added.

The ministry hoped to achieve a target of 400,000 Thai tourists in Indonesia this year, he said.

“Bali, as one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations, and Karangasem specifically were chosen for the journalists’ group, in order to introduce them to the pleasure and safety of our tourist attractions,” he said.

I Nengah Parwatha, head of the Culture and Tourism Office in Bali, said that promotion through mass media would be effective in Thailand since it was a somewhat advanced country, especially in terms of the role of media in education and development.

He said that he hoped the journalists would acknowledge Karangasem’s appeal and relate the information through the media so that Bali would become a top tourist destination for Thai tourists.

The journalists seemed to be impressed by the traditional dance performances, including the Barongket, he added.