Jakarta, May 10 (Antara) - Flores Island of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is gearing up for the Tour de Flores (TdF) 2016 that will see hundreds of world-class cyclists here next week.
By Monday, at least 400 cyclists from 20 countries had arrived on the island where they are expected to compete as they pedal through the 661.5 kilometers cycling stretch. There will also be several local tourism events alongside.
"We have registered 400 cyclists from 20 countries. They will take part in the TdF event that will take place from May 19-23, 2016 on the Flores Island," NTT Tourism and Creative Economy Service's Secretary Weli Rohi Mone said on Monday.
Hundreds of cycling athletes will begin touring activities on Lembata Island on Monday (May 16). The regional government of Lembata District has prepared four tourism destinations that it will try to sell during the TdF 2016 cycling race. The cycling event will continue till May 23, 2016.
"We have four tourism destinations and these are our flagship tourist sites," Longginus Lega of the Lembata District's Tourism Service said in Kupang, the provincial capital of NTT, on Tuesday.
NTT Governor Frans Lebu Raya will see off the TdF 2016 on May 19 in Larantuka, the district capital of East Flores. "Larantuka is one of the starting points of TdF 2016," Weli Rohi Mone said.
Dubbed as a sports tourism event, the TdF will bring together some 230 world-class cyclists who have in the past participated in international cycling races, such as the Tour de France in Paris, the Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia, the Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia, the Tour de Singkarak in West Sumatra and the Tour de Ijen in Banyuwangi of East Java.
The TdF race's 661.5 kilometer long route will stretch from Larantuka on the eastern tip of Florest to Labuan Bajo in the western part of the island. The tour is divided into five laps: Larantuka-Maumere, Maumere-Ende, Ende-Bajwa, Bajwa-Ruteng and Ruteng-Labuan Bajo.
Flores, particularly Labuan Bajo, with its Komodo National Park, is one of the 10 main tourism destinations now being developed by the government.
Labuan Bajo serves as a gateway from where foreign and domestic tourists can access various other tourist destinations in the NTT. Therefore, the preparations focus on the main aspects such as infrastructure, hotel facilities, health services and human resources.
According to Weli Rohi Mone, the cycling race will pass through eight districts on the Flores Island. Cyclists will spend a night in each of the districts, except the Nagekeo district.
He said currently, the participants of the TdF are busy with the Tour de Ijen in Banyuwangi, East Java. After the Tour de Ijen, they will depart for Maumere Sikka and take a land route to Larantuka. "As of now, they are still in Banyuwangi," he said.
When they arrive in Labuan Bajo, the capital of West Manggarai District, the participants will be received by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). "In Labuan Bajo, the cyclists will be seen off by the NTT governor at the start and will be received by President Jokowi at the finish line," he said.
He promised that one week before the Tour de Flores starts, the route where the event will take place would have been widened.
In the meantime, Longginus Lega said on Tuesday that the regional government of Lembata District has prepared four tourism destinations which will be showcased for tourists during the cycling event.
He said that the four tourism destination sites are Lamera, a traditional whale catching site, the undersea maritime tourism in Nuanera village, the Geopark Tourism in Batu Tara and the Prayer and Love hills in Lembata City.
The TdF 2016 was launched by Tourism Minister Arief Yahya last January. The minister said the activities were aimed at promoting NTT's Flores Island. It is one of the 10 tourism destinations in the country whose development is being accelerated by the government.
"We are calling this a sports tourism event. Its direct impact on the tourism sector is not too huge, but it has an effective media value. So, tourism destinations where the TdF's routes will pass will have brand value," the minister pointed out.
According to Weli Rohi Mone, the event will have a significant impact on the development of the province's tourism sector. In order to support the activities, the regional government of NTT is now preparing several locations, which will become national tourism destinations, with the focus on infrastructure, hotels, and human resources. Thus, Flores will serve as a global tourism destination.
Moreover, the NTT Tourism Service is also popularizing Indonesia's "Sapta Pesona Wisata" (Seven tourism enchanting) programs, stressing on effective and efficient promotions as a continuation to the promotion of the Komodo National Park as one of "The New Seven Wonders of Nature."
"This is intended to make NTT another gateway for tourists arriving in Indonesia apart from those such as Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and the 10 island regions, which have been very popular so far," he stated.
He said the population of the giant komodo lizards (Varanus komodoensis) at the Komodo National Park is found on three islands: the Rica, Padar, and Komodo. These tourism destinations have attracted global attention for being home to an ancient species, which still survives until now.
"This potential is being utilized by organizing various national and international events as a bridge for NTT to become a flagship tourism destination. These events include the TdF, which has been divided into two main activities: the international cycling race and tourism. The tourism activities include visits to tourism sites, cultural events, bazaars, and folk festivities," he added. ***1***(A014/INE/B003)EDITED BY INE
(T.A014/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 10-05-2016 20:53:2 |
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