Indonesia - Sail Moyo Tambora ceremony on September 9

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is scheduled to attend the 2018 Sail Moyo Tambora ceremony in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Sept. 9.

"Other than the President, diplomats from several countries will also attend the international event to witness the ongoing development across Indonesia, including Sumbawa," Agus Purwoto, secretary for the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister, said in the provincial capital Mataram on Tuesday.

Sail Moyo Tambora is expected to help promote Sumbawa’s potential for tourism, as well as serve as a coordination event between ministries and agencies with similar programs.

The event is part of Indonesia's participation in World Sail 2018 in September, during which the archipelago will serve as a cruise destination for yachts.

This year, Rally Sail Indonesia is highlighting the 2018 Sail Moyo Tambora as a national brand, after previously promoting Sail Sabang, Karimata and Bunaken.

.

FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS

.

 Agus said the Sail Moyo Tambora brand is an opportunity for NTB to promote its tourist destinations in Sumbawa, as it will host various activities throughout the Sail period.

He added that preparations for the event were solid, including surveys to related ministries and agencies "to ensure the event can be focused in one location and the government can concentrate more on what to highlight.”

The event was first proposed by the NTB administration in 2015.

“It is time for Sumbawa to shine,” said Agus. "The late Princess Diana had vacationed in Moyo Island, as well as legendary singer Mick Jagger. Moyo is well-known in the global community."

Mount Tambora, which erupted in 1815 and triggered climate change in in half of the world, is said to also serve as the icon of Sumbawa.

Several activities have been planned for Sail Moyo Tambora, such as cultural dialogues, the Asia Pacific Geopark Network international seminar and an international paragliding event.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Indonesia - Lombok records increase in tourist visits ahead of Nyepi

The number of domestic and foreign tourists in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has significantly increased ahead of Nyepi, the Day of Silence in Bali, which falls on Saturday.

“Since yesterday [Wednesday], we’ve seen an increase in the flow of foreign tourists to Lombok. 

They want to spend the holiday in a relaxed atmosphere, as Bali and Lombok have really different atmospheres during Nyepi,” said the chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association's (PHRI) NTB chapter, Lalu Abdul Hadi Faisal, in Mataram on Thursday.

He said the trend could be seen in the spike in occupancy rates of hotels in Lombok.

Currently, the average occupancy rate stands at 60 to 65 percent in Mataram and its surrounding areas and it can reach up to 75 percent in tourist resort areas such as Gili Trawangan in North Lombok and Senggigi, West Lombok.

Apart from Nyepi in Bali, Hadi said, the increase in visitors to Lombok also had to do with a string of conferences and research activities that would be conducted in the area over the weekend.

“Around 300 students of Muhammadiyah University from Sidoarjo, East Java, for example, will come to Lombok. Because of Nyepi in Bali, they have decided to stay in hotels in Lombok for their meeting,” he said.

Lombok International Airport (LIA) general manager I Gusti Ngurah Ardita said that on Nyepi, eight flights from Ngurah Rai International Airport to LIA and vice versa would be halted until Sunday.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Indonesia offers Lombok airport to Australia

.

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has said that the Indonesian government will offer an Australian company the opportunity to jointly manage Lombok International Airport in West Nusa Tenggara.

.

The offer came after a meeting between Budi and Australian Regional Development, Regional Communications, and Local Government and Territories Minister Hon Fiona Nash on Thursday.

.

"We are offering an airport operator in Australia the chance to jointly operate Lombok airport," Budi said. Currently, the Lombok International Airport is managed by state airport operator Angkasa Pura (AP) I.

.

 The airport has not yet been able to turn a profit and as such the minister hopes that the cooperation will increase traffic and spur further development of the airport.

.

The meeting also highlighted possible cooperation between the two countries in tourism and aviation, especially in remote and border areas.

.

The development of airports in border areas such as Rote Island and emerging tourist destination Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, were also discussed during the meeting.

Indonesia has invited private companies to take part in developing airports because of limited funds in the state budget.

.

Australia mentioned the Christmas Island as well as an area in Brisbane as possible locations for collaboration in area development.

Fiona also welcomed the business talks between the two countries. "Certainly there are various ways to extend our opportunities in front of us," she said. (bbn)

.

source: TheJakartaPost

.

FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTELS & FLIGHTS 

Indonesia - Tambora festival returns with more locations

.

Festival Pesona Tambora (Tambora Charms Festival) is set to return April 5 to 11 in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) for the third time.
.

In addition to commemorating the volcano's massive eruption back in 1815, the event also aims to promote Sumbawa, especially for tourism.
.

NTB Tourism Agency head Mohammad Faozal told The Jakarta Post in Mataram on Friday that this year's festival would be held across five cities and regencies on Sumbawa, namely the regencies of West Sumbawa, Sumbawa, Dompu and Bima, and the city of Bima. Last year's event was only held in Dompu and Bima regencies.
.

"The peak of the event on April 11 will still take place in the Ndoro Ncanga savanna area at the foot of Mount Tambora, which is part of Dompu regency," he said.
.

According to the schedule, the event will kick off with a three-day 320-kilometer Tambora Challenge ultra marathon, that will start from Mantar tourism village in West Sumbawa, as well as an international paragliding event, which has been dubbed "the village above the clouds". During previous ultra marathons, which require participants to finish the race in 20 hours, only two participants in 2015 and one in 2016 made it to the finish line.
.

(Read also: Tambora festival expected to boost foreign arrivals in NTB)
.

Meanwhile, Sumbawa regency is set to hold "One Night at Loka". Loka is the palace complex of King Sumbawa that has been declared cultural heritage. The city of Bima and Bima regency will join the festivity through Lawata Beach Festival and a seminar on the region's tourism and maritime potential.
.

A number of travel packages have reportedly been booked for this year's festival, including a two-day and three-night package where travelers can stay for one night in Mataram and go camping in Ndoro Ncanga the next day.
.

Co-organizer Kompas Media community director Rusdi Amral said that the company decided to commit to the event in 2015 to help develop Sumbawa's tourism potential. "Hopefully the region's tourism sector can boost its local economy," he added.
.

.