Don't Visit Indonesia Without It!

(12/15/2007)

The Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Bank Danamon Indonesia (BDI) have signed an agreement appointing American Express® as the Official Card Partner for Visit Indonesia Year 2008 Program (VIY 2008).

VIY 2008 is the Indonesian initiative to mark the centennial anniversary of the nation's awakening movement anchored in the founding of Indonesia's first nationalist movement in 1908 - Budi Utomo. To celebrate the occasion in grand style, Indonesia is targeting 7 million foreign visitors for 2008. In the words of Indonesia's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik : "Success of VIY 2008 is dependent not only on Government's efforts but also on support from all industry players including financial institutions. Further, we need to engage the partners to effectively and continually promote the Program."

American Express® with more than 80 million Cardmembers worldwide was selected as the official card for VIY 2008 based on the Company's popular frequent flyer program and the spending power in multiples of those of the competitors. American Express® extensive Corporate Cardmembership program is also seen as key to helping to the country's MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition) industry.

Sebastian Paredes, President Director of Bank Danamon says, "American Express has always been committed to help boost the tourism industry through various initiatives such as the Ultimately Bali series of programs that involved hundreds of quality merchants, over the past 5 years. Now that the business has been taken over by BDI, we are also committed to the same level of support. We believe it is important to help bring more tourism revenues to Indonesia to grow the Indonesian economy. Indonesia has so much to offer and many American Express Cardmembers have come to love this idyllic country."

In order to support the VIY 2008 Program, Subba Vaidyanathan, Card Business Head of Bank Danamon pledged: "We will help access American Express' vast global network to help promote Indonesia as a great tourist destination. We will also create exciting, complementary programs such as sweepstakes and special privileges at hundreds of high quality establishments, and then communicate those internationally as well as on arrival, thorough various media."

"It is hoped that initiatives which complement government's planned events will broaden VIY 2008's reach into the targeted markets. Collaborations such as this will help accelerate the nation's tourism revival efforts," commented Thamrin Bachri, Directorate of Marketing for the Indonesian Department of Culture and Tourism.