PALEMBANG ENTHUSIASTIC TO WELCOME TOURISTS DURING TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE by Fardah

   Jakarta, Feb 15 , 2016 (Antara) - The South Sumatra administration has formulated plans to organize various attractive activities coinciding with the total solar eclipse (TSE) expected to occur on the morning of March 9, 2016.   
   The province will organize among other things a glowing night run, a supernatural community ritual, cultural performances, an international photography festival, a 30-meter-long barongsai show and an educational tour for students, organized jointly with the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN).

        The head of the South Sumatra Tourism and Cultural Office, Irene Camelyn Sinaga, has said the tourism office will also facilitate guests and take them to certain locations specially designated to watch the total solar eclipse.

        The city's icon, Ampera Bridge, will remain closed for public vehicles on the day of the eclipse, facilitating the pedestrians to observe the total solar eclipse from the vantage point on the bridge freely and clearly.  

  Various types of traditional South Sumatran culinary products will be offered to tourists and Palembang residents.

        Irene Camelyn Sinaga said the bridge is the most strategic site to watch the eclipse, helped by the fact that the weather is predicted to stay fine on the morning of March 9.
    In addition to the Ampera Bridge, the Sulap Hill located in Lubuklinggau City is also gearing up to welcome those wanting to watch the eclipse.

         LAPAN has confirmed that the hill is one of the best spots to watch the total solar eclipse, according to Lubuklinggau Mayor Prana Putra Sohe.

        The hill's location is very strategic as it is a few thousand meters above the sea level and is located inside the Kerinci Seblat National Park forest (TNKS), he said recently.

        A 600-meter long inclinator with four shelters has been built to facilitate visitors to reach the hilltop.

        Aryaduta Hotel, for instance, has prepared a place for its guests to watch the eclipse from the rooftop of its building.

        Furthermore, Palembang's Arab quarter, Al Munawar Kampong is also gearing up for the rare phenomenon by renovating roads and public facilities and has cleaned  up the surrounding areas.
    A wooden pier is being built next to Al Munawar Mosque which is located near the bank of the Musi River. 
    "A small café is planned to be opened there (near the pier), so that tourists can  enjoy their coffee and savour Arabic food such as `kebuli' (like Indian Briyani), 'ghee' rice, and lamb curry,"  Ahmad Alkaff, a local prominent figure, said on Feb. 14.
   He said the kampong's inhabitants have lauded the government's plan to make the Arab quarter a religious tourist site as they are used to receiving foreign tourists, among others from the Middle East, Europe and Southeast Asia.

          Foreign tourists are welcome as long as they wear decent clothes, and avoid miniskirts or hot pants, he added.

        Besides Palembang and Lubuklinggau, the total solar eclipse will also be visible in other cities of South Sumatra and districts such as Upang Sungsang, Banyuasin, Sekayu, Sungai Lilin, Babat Toman and Prabumulih.

        The eclipse is expected to begin at around 6 a.m. and reach its climax at around 7:20 a.m. local time. It will  last for one minute and 29 seconds.

        The Palembang tourism office has promoted eclipse-based tours, and sent a team to Bali for the purpose.

         Travel agents are supporting this promotion, Sinaga said.

          "Our target is to attract thousands of tourists. We have learned that a number of tourists have booked hotel rooms to watch the eclipse," she noted.

          According to data collated till January 15, at least 50 foreign tourists from Australia, Japan and the Netherlands had booked hotel rooms in Palembang.

          In addition, around 500 Malaysian tourists are also expected to visit Palembang to watch the total eclipse in the South Sumatra capita city,  Sinaga said on Feb. 15.

         She said the Malaysians want to enjoy watching the rare natural phenomenon from the lake Jakabaring Water Sky  in Palembang.

        The regional tourism office would coordinate with travel agents and the hotel and restaurant association (PHRI) to facilitate the foreign tourists, she added.   
   The eclipse will be visible for around two to three minutes in 12 provinces: Bengkulu, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Jambi, Bangka Belitung, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, West Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi and North Maluku.

         Cities where the phenomenon can be witnessed include Palembang, Tanjung Pandang, Palangkaraya, Balikpapan, Palu, Ternate and Sofifi.

         Earlier, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said this rare and spectacular natural phenomenon should add momentum to the efforts to boost Indonesia's tourism industry.

        He was optimistic that the TSE tours, cultural events, festivals and adventurous activities to be organized in many regions would help the government achieve its target of receiving 12 million foreign tourists and 260 million domestic travelers this year.
   "The provincial, district, and municipal administrations, whose regions will lie in the path of the shadow of the TSE, have made preparations to organize several interesting events to lure the tourists," he remarked.

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(f001/INE)
EDITED BY INE
15-02-2016 22:07:41