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Ministry to promote Pontianak for cross-border tourism
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Elementary students of Bruder Melati join a Cap Go Meh celebration in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Feb. 11, 2017. Cap Go Meh is observed on the 15th day after the Chinese New Year. (JP/Severianus Endi)
T
he Tourism Ministry is assembling a focus group to discuss a strategy to market Pontianak, West Kalimantan, as a place for cross-border tourism.
The meeting is running from April 19 to 21 and is being attended by scholars, businesspeople and members of the community, government and media, such as the Tanjung Pura University rector, Garuda Indonesia officials, bloggers and bureaucrats with the West Kalimantan department of tourism and culture.
Read also: If Singapore has a lion, why should Pontianak not have a ghost?
“These five elements are what we’re pushing forward in building cross-border tourism,” said the Tourism Ministry's archipelago tourism marketing development deputy, Esthy Reko Astuti.
“If you take a look at European countries such as France and Spain, they are very good in managing their cross-border tourism. It is one of their sources for foreign exchange,” adds Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.
According to Yahya, cross-border tourism in Indonesia has so far attracted 3.6% visitors. West Kalimantan itself has six border crossing areas: Sambas (Paloh and West Sajingan), Bengkayang (Siding and Jagoi Babang), Sintang (Ketunggu Hulu and Ketunggu Tengah), Kapuas Hulu (Puring Kencana and Dabau) and Sanggau (Entikong and Sekayam). (asw)
