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Govt to develop Banyuwangi a new tourist destination
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya says that the Tourism Ministry is committed to helping develop Banyuwangi regency in East Java as a new tourist destination
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ourism Minister Arief Yahya says that the Tourism Ministry is committed to helping develop Banyuwangi regency in East Java as a new tourist destination.
Arief said his institution would provide support in the form of additional funding and training for tourism industry players and vocational school students to strengthen Banyuwangi's foothold in the tourism sector.
The ministry plans to allocate Rp 1.5 billion (US$115,491) in funds for Banyuwangi Festival 2015, the regency's annual festival, which lasts for more than five months and consists of various events such as the International Tour Banyuwangi Ijen in May, Banyuwangi Batik Festival in October, Beach Jazz Festival in September and International Surfing Competition at the end of September.
The former CEO of state-run telecommunications firm Telkomsel said the additional funding was expected to attract 30,000 more visitors to Banyuwangi.
'We realize that our promotional budget at the moment is one-twelfth of Malaysia's,' he said on Saturday as quoted by Antara news agency, adding that he was hoping the government would continue to increase the budget in the future given the fact that Indonesia had huge potential in the tourism sector.
He also said the ministry would strengthen Banyuwangi Polytechnic to improve the quality of human resources in the industry.
Banyuwangi Regent Abdulllah Azwar Anas said the regency would hold 38 events over the course of the year to attract both domestic and international travelers to Banyuwangi.
'The Banyuwangi Festival is not only held to promote tourism, but also to maximize the regency's economic potential and encourage locals to develop their regency,' Abdullah said. (nfo)(+++)
