Time for N. Maluku to become tourist destination

Antara News, Sun, May 8 2011

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Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - The Ministry of Culture and Tourism will promote North Maluku as a tourist destination besides the already existing ten, an promotion official of the ministry said.

Children night festival at Ambon,
Maluku. (ANTARA/Jimmy Ayal)

Deputy Director for Promotion of Destination Area V of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Diah Widiati said here on Sunday that ten tourist destinations registered by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) are Bali, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Jakarta, North Sumatra, Lampung, South Sulawesi, South Sumatra, Banten and West Sumatra.

Actually, East Indonesian province has the potential of cultural and tourism which can lure a great number of local and foreign tourists if it is introduced properly, Diah Widiati.

"Thus, we promoted North Maluku, in the hope of attracting more tourists," she said.

Apart from intensifying tourism promotion, Diah said that her office also required the provincial administration to prepare proper transportation and accommodation facilities for the tourists.

Data obtained from the provincial administration showed that only 1,500 tourists visited North Maluku in the January-April, 2011, period.

According to her, a similar problem is also facing Papua province which was not registered by the Central Statistics Agency as one of Indonesia`s tourist destinations although Papua has fascinating undersea wealth.

One of the tourism potentials which can attract tourists to Papua province is "Pulau Raja Empat". a beautiful island with fascinating undersea wealth.

Editor: Priyambodo RH