TOUR DE TIMOR RACE TO START IN DILI, FINISH IN KUPANG IN NOVEMBER by Fardah

Jakarta, Sept 23, 2016 (Antara) -  East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) will sponsor Tour de Timor (TdT) in November, in a bid to repeat the success of last May's Tour de Flores (TdF).
        TdF directed foreign and domestic cyclists cum tourists on a tour around Flores Island, while TdT will be a complete tour of Timor Island, and continuing up to Rote. 
   The Island of Timor is divided into two, East and West Timor.  West Timor is part of Indonesia's NTT Province with its capital in Kupang, while East Timor is now known as a country called Timor Leste, whose capital is Dili.
        To be organized by the two countries for the first time, TdT will be a unique cycling and sport tourist event, because it covers two countries - Indonesia and Timor Leste.
        Initially, the Tour de Timor was a race organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture and the Cycling Federation of Timor-Leste to boost tourism, shift perceptions, strengthen peace, and harmony.
        TdT is a national pride and provides opportunities for economic development of the tiny country sharing the border with Indonesia's NTT Province.
           The seventh annual Tour de Timor set off from Dili to Laclubar, then on to the sparkling waters of Betano on the south coast in September 2015 .

           Last year's event was joined by 59 international and 51 Timor Leste riders, testing their skill and stamina over five challenging stages and riding through some of the most spectacular scenery in Timor-Leste.
          The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Dr. Rui Maria de Araújo, rode with the participants for the first thirty kilometers of the tour, encouraging international visitors to enjoy their time in Timor-Leste.
         Given the success, the NTT administration has been very interested in joining the organization of the TdT, to assure its participants will travel the entire Timor Island, shared by NTT and Timor Leste.
        The NTT Administration had earlier planned to organize Tour de Timor in October, but later the schedule had to be adjusted in keeping with the Timor Leste government's agenda in November, said Welly Rame Rohimone of the NTT tourism and creative economic office, while speaking in Kupang recently.
            An NTT Team will hold a meeting with the Timor Leste team on October 23 to decide the exact date of the event.
          The day of the meeting, October 23, 2016, will coincide with the maiden direct flight from Kupang to Dili.
           To be funded by the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, the Tour will start in Dili, the capital of East Timor, and continue to Kupang, the capital of NTT.
          The cycling race will follow the same concept as Tour de Singkarak, which is held annually in West Sumatra.
             Bikers from 30 countries will be invited to participate in Tour de Timor, which is aimed at luring foreign and domestic tourists to NTT, as well as to Timor Leste.
          Known as a province of one thousand islands, NTT offers a wide array of natural scenery, culture, ethnicity, handcrafts, ancient sites, and unique traditions that could be showcased to foreign tourists.
         NTT Governor Lebu Raya earlier expressed his optimism that the sport tourism events - TdF and TdT - will help boost the tourism industry in the province and benefit the community.
         In the meantime, the Tour de Flores was organized for the first time this year, yet it has surprisingly attracted cyclists from several countries.  The cycling race started in Larantuka, East Flores District, on May 19.
         Most of the cyclists had earlier participated in the Tour de Banyuwangi Ijen, which took place in Banyuwangi, East Java Province, on May 11-14, 2016.
        The cyclists began the first stage, covering a distance of 148 kilometers (km), of the race from the office of the East Flores district head in Larantuka at 9 a.m. local time and headed to Maumere.
            The cycling event, touring Flores Island, was divided into five stages covering a total distance of 615 km.
          At every stopover, the international cyclists were greeted and entertained by local artists who performed traditional dances.
         Furthermore, the Tourism and Culture Ministry has encouraged several Indonesian regions to organize sports tourism events for cycling enthusiasts by offering them exotic routes passing through rural greenery with scenic charms and nice weather.     
   Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has lauded the holding of those sport tourism events aimed at promoting the country's wonderful culture and destinations.
         Among cycling plus tourism events organized across the country earlier this year were Tour de Cenderawasih Bay in West Papua, Toba Audax 2016 in North Sumatra, Tour de Ijen in Banyuwangi, East Java Province, Tour de Barelang in Batam, the Riau Islands Province, and Tour de Singkarak in West Sumatra. ***1***
(F001/INE)

(T.F001/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 23-09-2016 14:36:15