The Indonesian government targeted 6.8 million foreign tourists coming into the country next year, Tourism Ministry said here Thursday.

Director at the Ministry Sapta Nirwana said that the government has declared the sector as a main contributor of foreign exchanges amid global economic slowdown. "The tourism sector is expected to be able to hasten the recovery of economy," he said at his office here.

Indonesia raised the target of foreign visitors coming into the country from 5 million last year to 8 million this year after extending visa on arrival to 63 countries and declaration of "the visit of Indonesia year in 2008," the country's tourism minister Jero Wacik has said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2008)