Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia is seeking to attract more Indian travelers by participating in the Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) from Feb. 5–7 at Mumbai’s Jio World Convention Centre. “This year, we target Rp48 billion in transactions and expect around 40,000 Indian tourists,” said Ni Made Ayu Marthini, deputy for Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism, in a statement confirmed Friday in Jakarta. At OTM 2026, Indonesia presented 30 tourism industry players, including 20 destination management companies, five travel agencies, two hotels, two restaurants, and one tourist attraction operator. Ahead of OTM, the ministry conducted a sales mission in Chennai on Feb. 3. The city is known for a professional middle-to upper-class population, high literacy, and active international and spiritual travel. Chennai also draws wellness tourism and Meeting, Incentive, Convention, and Exhibition (MICE) travelers. “With over 11 million residents and rising purchasing power, Chennai is a strategic market for Indonesia’s tourism industry,” Made said. Data show Indian tourist arrivals to Indonesia reached 734,490 in 2025, up 3.42 percent from 710,688 in 2024. Dedi Ahmad Kurnia, assistant deputy for International Tourism Marketing, said India represents a highly promising source market. “With 1.47 billion people, it is a critical international tourism market for Indonesia,” he added. He noted OTM 2026 strengthens Indonesia’s branding and positions “Wonderful Indonesia” as a top-choice destination for Indian travelers. Indonesia previously participated in OTM 2024, generating Rp40.7 billion in potential transactions, and joined SATTE and ITB India in 2025 to expand its reach. During OTM 2026’s opening, the Indonesian Pavilion was featured in the VIP walk-around, visited by Sarawak Tourism Minister Dato’ Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Mauritius Tourism Minister Christian Harold Richard Duval. The Ministry of Tourism received the OA Globe DMC Tourism Excellence Award, recognizing efforts to boost destination awareness, support Indian travel operators, and grow the Indian tourist market consistently.