MATARAM TO ORGANIZE "MENTARAM FESTIVAL" PROMOTING WEST NUSA TENGGARA TOURISM

Mataram, W Nusa Tenggara, Feb 3 (Antara) - The Culture and Tourism Office of Mataram District, West Nusa Tenggara Province, plans to organize an arts and culture festival called "the Mentaram Festival" in August 2015 to promote its tourism sector. Head of Mataram's Culture and Tourism Office H. Abdul Latif Nadjib stated here on Tuesday that the festival will be held in the first and second week of August 2015 in Mataram, the capital city of West Nusa Tenggara Province. The festival will be organized to commemorate Mataram District's 22nd anniversary on August 31 and will also showcase the arts and culture of Southeast Asian countries. "August is a holiday season, and so, the number of domestic and international tourists visiting the region is quite high. This will provide an opportunity to involve the tourists in the festival," Nadjib said. "Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Brunei Darussalam are the five countries that have, so far, agreed to participate in this event," Nadjib revealed. Representatives from 33 provinces in Indonesia, grouped into three regions of West, Central, and East Indonesia, will participate in the event to be held in the island, which lies to the east of Bali Island. Local artists from nine districts in West Nusa Tenggara and six sub-districts of Mataram will also enliven the event by showcasing various cultural and traditional performances from each region. Workshops on art and culture will also be held during the festival besides the parade and exhibition. The Mataram Administration has set aside Rp1.2 billion, or roughly US$96 thousand, to organize the festival, which will be held for the first time in the district. West Nusa Tenggara is a province in Indonesia, a part of the Lesser Sunda Islands comprising Bali and eastward through Timor. Lombok and Sumbawa are the two major islands in West Nusa Tenggara. The northern part of the Lombok Island is mountainous and verdant with tall trees and shrubs covering the land, while the south is arid and covered by savannas. Lombok Island, with its white virgin beaches and an age-old culture, is separated by merely a narrow strait from Bali. It has just recently gained popularity as a tourist destination due to its exceptional charm. The motto of Lombok tourism is "You can see Bali in Lombok, but not Lombok in Bali."