Indonesia was appointed by the organizer of the world's largest tourism exhibition, 2013 Internationale Tourism Borse (ITB) Berlin, as the official partner, paving the way for Indonesia to grab more foreign tourists, a senior official said here on Tuesday.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Sapta Nirwandar said that Indonesia had to lobby the organizer to get the prestigious status in the event since 2011.

"Indonesia has been participating in the ITB since 1967. In 2011 ITB we proposed to become the official partner country for the first time. At that time Indonesia was offered to become official partner country in 2017 or 2018," he said.

The 2013 ITB is slated to be held from March 5 to 10 in Berlin, Germany.

The organizer changed their minds and decided to appoint Indonesia as its official partner after witnessing enormous potential of tourism in Indonesia when they attended ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province's capital city of Manado last year, Sapta said.

"They recognized our uniqueness, high potentialities in tourism sector that led them to accept Indonesia as the official partner country in 2013 ITB," he was quoted as saying by the Antara news agency.

He said Indonesia would become the official partner country in 2013 after Egypt and Poland in 2012 and 2011 respectively.

With the official partner country in 2013 ITB, Indonesia will get various benefits in the event, including 410 square meters pavilion in strategic location, several promotion billboards, advertisements and other necessities to promote Indonesia's tourism.

Indonesia has set target of 9 million foreign tourists coming in the country this year, higher than 8 million in 2012 and 7.6 million in 2011.