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Lake Toba Festival fails to attract foreign visitors
The Lake Toba Festival held in Karo regency, North Sumatra, which finished up on Sunday, reportedly failed to attract foreign visitors
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he Lake Toba Festival held in Karo regency, North Sumatra, which finished up on Sunday, reportedly failed to attract foreign visitors.
Attendances at most of the events in the four-day festival, held for the third time and costing Rp 3.4 billion (US$248,400), fell short of their targets.
Eliza Marbun of the North Sumatra Tourism Office acknowledged the low number of visitors to the festival, especially foreigners.
'This is likely due to the change in schedule from September to November, so the tourist packages have also changed,' Eliza told The Jakarta Post at the close of the festival in Berastagi, Karo, on Sunday.
Eliza said the target for local tourists visiting the festival had been 55,000, while the target for foreign visitors was 1,000.
He claimed that although the visitor targets had not been met, the festival was a success, indicated by the high hotel occupancy rates.
Eliza claimed that the only activity that failed to pull in participants was the Solu Bolon traditional boat race because many of the boats were damaged and could not take part in the race.
He denied that the regional administration, particularly the North Sumatra Tourism Office, had not earnestly organized the Lake Toba Festival this year. He argued they had only two months to prepare for the festival.
'Fortunately, Karo was willing to hold the festival this year, if not the festival would not have been held this year because none of the regions were willing to host the festival, except Karo,' said Eliza, pointing out that Karo, as this year's host, was not burdened with any funding.
Eliza denied that the appointment of Karo as host of the festival constituted support for Karo Regent Terkelin Brahmana, who will run for reelection on Dec. 9.
He said the Lake Toba Festival was purely aimed at promoting tourism in and around the Lake Toba region.
'We don't want to enter into the political realm. If this year's Lake Toba Festival benefits the regent in his bid for reelection, that's a matter for him. We are not interfering,' said Eliza.
When reached, Regent Terkelin, declined to comment on the matter.
The third Lake Toba Festival was closed by provincial secretary Hasban Ritonga. The fourth Lake Toba Festival will be held in North Tapanuli regency in September next year.
