SAIL KARIMATA EXPECTED TO BENEFIT MICRO-BUSINESSES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 29  (Antara) - Indonesia has been organizing annual Sail Indonesia events since 2009 which have provided positive impact on the development of the country's tourism and local economic activities.        This year four provinces sharing borders with the Karimata Strait, namely  Riau Islands, Jambi, Bangka Belitung and West Kalimantan are organizing a sail event called 'Sail Karimata 2016.'    The peak event of Sail Karimata 2016 which kicked off last June will be held in North Kayong District, West Kalimantan on October 15 next month.         Learning from the positive impact in the previous years of the sailing events on the local economies, provinces involved, particularly West Kalimatan, should take advantage of this by preparing local business sectors such as small and medium-scale businesses.          Guests will come and spend money. Small businesses can sell products. This kind of positive impact has taken place in Bunaken, Raja Ampat, Wakatobi, Tomini and other  resorts that have hosted the sailing events.          In the current Sail Karimata 2016, which is the eighth of the Sail Indonesia series, West Kalimantan, as host of the peak event is preparing its small businesses to take advantage of it.

WEST KALIMANTAN GEARS UP FOR SAIL KARIMATA STRAIT 2016

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 26 (Antara) - West Kalimantan is busy making preparations for the success of the 'Sail Karimata Strait' event in the Datuk Sukadana Islet beach, North Kayong District.          The sail event has been launched since last June, involving four provinces of West Kalimantan, Riau Islands, Jambi and Bangka Belitung.   The peak event will take place in North Kayong District on October 15 next month.          West Kalimantan Governor Cornelius has assured that he will himself continuously inspect the ongoing preparations so that everything runs smoothly. The governor held a meeting on Monday in this context.          "I will keep a check on the progress. We today had a meeting to discuss the preparations," Governor Cornelius was quoted as saying by Tribunpontianak.co.id news portal on Monday.          According to the governor, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is expected to open the peak event of Sail Karimata Strait 2016. Therefore, all relevant regional officials should ensure that everything is in place before the October 15 deadline.          The transportation arrangements and technical aspects should be as per international standards. "The president will arrive on October 15, 2016. All arrangements must be in place before that, " the governor added.

SAIL KARIMATA TO BOOST INDONESIAN TOURISM

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 20 (Antara) - Indonesia is organizing a sail race in the Karimata Strait involving the provinces of Jambi, Riau Islands (Kepri), Bangka Belitung and West Kalimantan.         Called 'Sail Karimata,' the race has been ongoing since June and will continue until October, 2016. It is expected to attract 15,000 local and foreign tourists, and is the eighth race in the series of Sail Indonesia, which began in 2009.         The peak event of the sail race --at which the government predicts  foreign tourists will spend some US$5 to 6 million (Rp66 billion), while Indonesian tourists will spend Rp10 billion (US$740,000)-- will take place  in North Kayong District, West Kalimantan, on October 15.         Although the peak event will be held in West Kalimantan province, Sail Karimata will also help boost the economies of other provinces involved in the boating race, such as Bangka Belitung, Jambi and Riau Islands.

SAIL KARIMATA EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO TOURISM TARGET

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 4 (Antara) - Organized from August to October this year at the Karimata Strait that links four provinces, 'Sail Karimata' is expected to contribute to the government's target of achieving 12 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2016.          The government hopes that Sail Karimata would have high economic value that could transform the maritime sector into a main contributor to the government's target of earning some US$4 billion of foreign exchange from the tourism sector by the year 2019.          Therefore, the government has so far held various sail Indonesia events as it is convinced that these events have the potential to contribute to the tourism sector.           After all, such events that have been categorized as marine tourism activities have so far contributed still only about 10 percent of the total US$1 billion worth of foreign exchange earned from the tourism sector.           Indonesia's earnings from the tourism sector are still small compared to that of Malaysia which earns about $8 billion from this sector.          "This is a challenge for us. If our projection of $4 billion in 2019 is realized, we will still stand outclassed by Malaysia," Tourism Minister Arief Yahya stated at the launch of the event in Jakarta Wednesday (June 1).

SAIL TOMINI EXPECTED TO BOOST SULAWESI'S TOURISM

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 8 (Antara) - The international sailing festival of Sail Tomini, launched in May and scheduled to conclude in Parigi Moutong District, Central Sulawesi, on September 19, is expected to boost tourism in Indonesia's eastern region.         "Tomini Bay is being developed as the main maritime tourism destination," Coordinating Minister for Culture and Human Resource Development Puan Maharani stated during the launch of the sailing event in May.         As Tomini Bay borders the provinces of Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi, and North Sulawesi, the international sailing festival will directly have a positive impact on the development of tourism in the three provinces.         Sail Tomini, which is expected to be attended by 10 thousand guests, includes 24 events, such as the Boalemo Festival in Gorontalo province, a yacht rally, the Surya Baskara Jaya healthcare operation, a village development movement, national seminars, a diplomatic tour, a Tomini Bay research expedition, and visits by media publications.          Some 100 foreign yachters from various countries are expected to participate in Sail Tomini 2015. Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti expressed hope that the event would help to promote tourism in Central Sulawesi and Gorontalo.          Haswan Yunas, Minister Maharani's deputy, had remarked earlier that scores of tourists were expected to attend the event.

SAIL TOMINI TO BRING ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO SULAWESI PROVINCES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 7 (Antara) - The ongoing Sail Tomini, an international yacht rally and festival organized in Indonesia's largest bay of Tomini, will have a long-term economic impact that will attract investment and improve the welfare of the local people.         The international maritime event was launched by the Coordinating Minister for Culture and Human Resource Development, Puan Maharani, in May and will conclude in the Parigi Moutong District Central Sulewesi on September 19.         "I hope investors will see the potential of Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo and North Sulawesi¿s marine, human and natural resources. Indonesia has potential other than Bali, Yogyakarta and others," Minister Maharani had said after a ministerial coordination meeting held in Jakarta in June.         The Tomini Bay borders the three provinces of Sulawesi, namely Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo and North Sulawesi.         "Sail Tomini should not be reduced to a mere ceremony. We must ensure that this event can be beneficial for the improvement of public welfare and boost economic progress in the provinces and the nation in the long term," Maharani stated after launching the event.

SAIL TOMINI MEANS OF BUILDING TOLLERANCE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 25 (Antara) - The upcoming 'Sail Indonesia' or 'Sail Tomini 2015' event which will peak in Central Sulawesi Province on September 19, 2015 is a means of building harmony and tolerance among different groups of people and nations.          Sail Indonesia is an annual event which this year is called 'Sail Tomini' because it will be held at Indonesia's largest gulf - 'Tomoni Bay'. It will bring together different groups of ethnicity, foreign citizenship and religious adherents.          Thus, while promoting Central Sulawesi's tourism and cultural potential, the sail event is also a means of building religious tolerance as it contains religious values, particularly Islamic values.          "The event will reinforce human relations and build a common perception about the cultivation of maritime and cultural potential in this region. This is one of the values of Islam," the Rector of the State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN), Prof. Dr H Zainal Abidin said on Tuesday.          He said the Sail Tomini 2015 event would also bring together not only people from a certain ethnic group, or religion, but also thousands of visitors from various ethnic groups and from different religions, even people from different nations.

NTT TO PROMOTE CULTURE AT EVENTS OF SAIL INDONESIA

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 30 (Antara) -- East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), a province in eastern Indonesia, will promote its local culture, beautiful destinations and products through the annual 'Sail Indonesia' event.          To promote its local culture on this platform, NTT has organized an exhibition for small- and medium-scale businesses, which began on July 27 and will be held till August 4.          The exhibition is expected to help enliven Sail Indonesia, which is being called 'Sail Tomini' this year.          This is because the festival's main events will take place in Tomini Bay, the largest gulf of Indonesia that borders the three eastern provinces of Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi and North Sulawesi.          Head of NTT's Tourism and Creative Economy Service Marius Jelamu said that the exhibition was being held to introduce and promote the province's culture and products to those participating in the sailing event.          "Through the exhibition, our office will showcase the cultural richness of NTT to yachters and other participants of the Indonesian sailing festival," Jelamu told Antara in Kupang, the provincial capital of NTT, on Tuesday.

PREPARATIONS ACCELERATED AS SAIL TOMINI DRAWS NEAR

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 23 (Antara) -- Preparations for Sail Tomini 2015, Indonesia's annual sailing festival, are being expedited as the event is drawing near.         Governor of Central Sulawesi Longki Djanggola has urged his officials to consistently evaluate the preparations being made for Sail Tomini, which will be held in the country's largest gulf of Tomini Bay this year, to ensure that the event will meet the set target.          "I would like to remind everyone that we have 57 days left for Sail Tomini to commence. I call on all stakeholders to evaluate the progress of the preparations made so we do not miss the target," Djanggola said here on Wednesday (July 22).          Scheduled to be held on September 19, the sailing event will take place in Tomini Bay, Indonesia's largest bay that borders the eastern provinces of Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi and North Sulawesi.