Pristine beaches and seas most suitable for surfing, a close-knit community of the same race but different dialects, showcasing richness in culture and the iconic hombo batu (stone jumping).

The aforementioned describes Nias Island, North Sumatra, 120 kilometers west of Sumatra and the largest of a group of more than a hundred islands forming the Nias Island archipelago, which may well become “the new Bali” as the government has its sights set on transforming the region into an international tourist destination.

Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said the government planned to turn the region into a world-class surfing hub to bolster local tourism, considering its popularity among international surfers over the years.

“The government vows to make Nias a better place to attract more tourists,” Luhut said on the sidelines of the 2019 Sail Nias opening ceremony last week.

He went on to say that the government was formulating an omnibus law — a single bill aimed at amending several laws — in an effort to make it easier for foreign investors to realize their investments in various sectors in the country, including tourism.

“Similar to neighboring Lake Toba, [the government] aims to reinvigorate tourism on Nias Island. We are discussing an omnibus bill. If it’s passed into law, it will improve the country’s investment climate. It will have a positive impact on tourism,” he said.

This year’s iteration of the annual Sail Nias served as a concrete example of the government’s support for tourism on Nias Island, Luhut said.

“Sail Nias has been held primarily to promote tourism in areas where the event takes place,” he said, adding that the 2019 Sail Nias was part of Sail Indonesia, which was initiated in Bunaken, North Sulawesi in 2009.

Thousands of tourists and members of the public attended the opening ceremony of this year’s Sail Nias, which featured a series of attractions such as a military parachuting performance by the members of the Indonesian Military.

The event takes place across five regencies and cities in Nias and is set to offer 17 activities, including World Surf League Nias, Wonderful Expo, Traditional Fishermen’s Boat Parade, Nias Cultural Heritage Seminar, Culinary Exhibition, Fahombo Batu stone-jumping festival, Archipelago Festival and Skydiving Attraction.

“It goes to show that people are fond of surfing in Nias. We aim to strengthen this sector.”

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said Nias had considerable potential to become a world-class surfing destination.

“We need to prioritize surfing as the main attraction that Nias offers to the world. Bali also used to pride itself on being a surfing destination; it has since grown into Bali that we know today,” Arief said.

Indonesia is finding ways to diversify tourist visits away from Bali — a popular destination for tourists primarily from Australia, China, India, England and France — having rolled out the “10 new Bali” potentials across the archipelago from Lake Toba in North Sumatra to Morotai Island in Maluku Islands to ease the burden on the heavily visited Bali.

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly — who also served as chairman of the Sail Nias event committee — echoed Arief’s sentiment, saying that the government was committed to bolstering tourism in Nias, considering the region’s popularity among tourists and surfing enthusiasts the world over.

He went on to point out that at least 50,000 visitors, the majority of whom were foreign tourists, flocked to attend various events at this year’s Sail Nias alone.

“It goes to show that people are fond of surfing in Nias. We aim to strengthen this sector,” Yasonna said.

Meanwhile, North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadi said the development of tourism infrastructure in Nias would extend beyond the 2019 Sail Nias. He called on the public to support the administration’s tourism development project.

“The government and local administration’s commitment to the project would have little impact unless we have fervent support from the public,” Edy added. (rfa)

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