Infrastructure development intensifies to boost N Sulawesi Tourism

Sabtu, 6 Jul 2019 21:29

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah

Jakarta, 6/7 (Antara) - North Sulawesi, with a population of 2.4 million and located on the northern Sulawesi Island, or formerly known as Celebes, is looking forward to attracting more foreign tourists to visit the province.

They are offering a variety of natural panoramas, with beaches, hills, volcanic mountains, and scenic plateaus.

The scenic and biodiverse Bunaken Marine National Park, which is some 10 kilometers from the provincial capital of Manado is one of the most popular tourist destinations. The park has been inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization World Heritage List.

Foreign tourist visits during the January-May 2019 period has reached 55,144, or a 9.67 percent rise than 50,284 travelers during the corresponding time frame in 2018, according to data of the Manado Immigration office. Of the total tourists, most came from China, reaching 86 percent, followed by two percent each from Singapore and Germany, and 1.3 percent from the United States.

North Sulawesi has been named as the Rising Star of Indonesia's tourism sector for its ability to boost its growth to 600 percent in the last four years. The number of foreign tourists visiting North Sulawesi, especially Manado and Bitung, had reached 20 thousand in 2015, rising twofold to 40 thousand in 2016, 80 thousand in 2017, and 120 thousand in 2018.

Within a four year span, in total, foreign tourist visits to the province have jumped sixfold. Similarly, the number of domestic tourists visiting the region has reached two million in 2016, with the figure continuing to increase to four million in the next year.

TOURISM AS DRIVING FORCE FOR N SULAWESI'S ECONOMIC GROWTH by Fardah

Jakarta, June 12, 2018 (Antara)- North Sulawesi has set a target to attract 120 thousand foreign tourists in 2018 for which it has intensified tourism promotion and infrastructure development activities to support its ambition.

         Tourism industry has become a pillar of the province's economy, as it has contributed significantly to supporting the local economic growth in Manado.     
    North Sulawesi Governor Olly Dondokambey expressed belief that the tourism industry holds potential to boost the province's economic growth.

         "We will continue to develop the tourism industry, which is a driving force of the regional economy," he noted.

         According to the governor, the tourism sector had a positive impact on the economic growth of 6.32 percent in 2017, or above the national average of 5.07 percent.

         Nearly 100 thousand foreign tourists had visited North Sulawesi in 2017, while the number of domestic tourists reached 169,523.  
   In the first quarter of 2018, some 29,413 foreign tourists had visited North Sulawesi, up from 17,941 in the same period last year.   
   During the first four months of 2018, tourist arrivals in the city had increased by 500 thousand, Head of the Marketing Department of the Manado Tourism Office Abdiel Badjen remarked in Manado last May.

NORTH SULAWESI OPTIMISTIC OF ATTRACTING MORE CHINESE TOURISTS by Fardah

 Jakarta, June 17, 2017 (Antara) - To support the Indonesian government's target of attracting at least 12 million foreign tourists, including some 2.4 million from China, several regions are gearing up to receive them this year.

         Tourism promotion events organized by Indonesia in China have resulted in a significant increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting the country's tourist destinations, particularly Bali and North Sulawesi.

         Chinese tourists constituted 28.15 percent of the total 1.81 million foreign tourist arrivals in Bali between January and April this year.

         North Sulawesi has also enjoyed a sharp increase in the number of Chinese visitors in the first quarter of 2017.

         During the period between January and March, North Sulawesi had recorded a five-fold increase in the number of foreign tourists reaching 17,335, of which most were Chinese, from 3,467 during the same period last year.

         Chinese tourists have dominated, in terms of the number of visitors to North Sulawesi. In March alone, 3,889 Chinese tourists had visited the province, or 75 percent of the total number of foreign visitors.

         Other tourist arrivals were from Singapore, Germany, the United States, and Hong Kong.

         In April 2017, Chinese also constituted the largest number of foreign tourists visiting North Sulawesi.

         "In April 2017, the number of Chinese tourists visiting North Sulawesi reached 4,477, constituting 72.84 percent of the total foreign tourist arrivals," Moh Edy Mahmud, head of the North Sulawesi statistic office, stated in Manado, recently.

MANADO-CHINA DIRECT FLIGHTS EXPECTED TO WOO MORE CHINESE TOURISTS by Fardah

    Jakarta, July 16, 2016 (Antara) - North Sulawesi is hoping to woo more Chinese tourists to visit its cities by offering what many Chinese tourists love - seas and tasty cuisine.

        The province, located in Indonesia's northeastern Sulawesi Island, offers a variety of natural panoramas with beaches, hills, volcanic mountains and scenic plateaus.

        Beautiful and biodiversity-rich Bunaken Marine National Park, which is just about 10 km from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi Province, is one of the most famous tourist destinations. The park has been inscribed in the list of World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO.

         Bunaken has an amazing and diverse marine life with 70 different corals, five species of sea turtles, many fish species, and even white tip and black tip reef sharks, the almost extinct dugongs, and barracuda.

         For food lovers, Manado could become an ideal place to visit as it has become one of the top destinations for the best traditional Indonesian food, such as spicy chicken Rica-rica and Roa fish Rica-rica, with Klaapertart as a recommended dessert.
     The province's plan to woo more Chinese tourists is in line with the plan of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.
    Some 1.14 million Chinese tourists visit Indonesia annually, far lesser than eight million to Thailand.    
     As many as 1,139,281 Chinese tourists visited Indonesia in 2015, an increase of 18.77 percent compared to 959,231 visitors recorded in 2014.

         For 2016, the country has set a target of attracting 1.7 million Chinese tourists, and two million in 2019.

CTI CENTER EXPECTED TO MAKE MANADO WORLD'S CORAL REEF CAPITAL by Fardah

    Jakarta, May 17, 2014 (Antara) -  The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF), a partnership of six countries formed in 2007, finally has a permanent secretariat in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

         The permanent secretariat, called the CTI Center, was the creation of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's commitment to the preservation of coral reefs in the region, Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sharief Cicip Sutardjo said when accompanying Vice President Boediono on a tour of the CTI Center compound.

MANADO TO HOST WORLD CORAL REEF CONFERENCE IN 2014 by Fardah

    Jakarta, Aug 29, 2013 (Antara) - After successfully hosting the First World Ocean Conference (WOC) and Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit on May 11-15, 2009, Manado plans to hold the first World Coral Reef Conference (WCRC) in May 2014.

        The Coral Triangle Initiative was established under the initiative of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the sidelines of the December 2007 Bali United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) talks.

Sail Bunaken To gather Sailors in Spirit of Brotherhood by Fardah

   Jakarta, June 6 (ANTARA) -  Around 8,000 sailors from all over the world are expected to participate in the  Sail Bunaken 2009 to be organized in Manado, North Sulawesi, on  August 12-20, 2009.        
    "Ship crew members from many countries will sail to Manado to visit the Bunaken marine park. Sail Bunaken will be greater than the Bunaken Festival which was held earlier," North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Sarundajang said in Manado recently.
    Sail Bunaken is aimed at building a sense of seamen's brotherhood and enhancing international relations, Commodore Willem Rampangilei, commander of the Indonesian Navy's Main Base VIII, said.

World Soon To Watch Ocean Conference in Manado by Fardah

    Jakarta, April 25, 2009 (ANTARA) -  Manado, a pleasant city with a population of over 417,000,  will be in the international spotlight  during the upcoming World Ocean Conference(WOC) and Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit to be held May 11-15, 2009.    
      About 2,900 participants from 121 countries are expected to take part in the WOC, the CTI Summit, and associated events. They will stay among other things in  18 star-rated hotels and 24 non-star hotels.