Sail Sabang Promoted At Matta Fair

JAKARTA, Sept 11 (Antara) - The government of Indonesia's westernmost province of Aceh, through its Culture and Tourism Office, promoted the upcoming international maritime event of Sail Sabang at the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Fair. Matta Fair is a three-day event being held from September 8 to 10, 2017 at the Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur as Malaysia's premier travel extravaganza to provide global exposure and endless business opportunities in this exciting era of groundbreaking travel innovations. Promoting Sail Sabang at the Matta Fair in Malaysia is an appropriate step, because the fair will provide visitors with a host of exciting travel opportunities. Aceh Culture and Tourism Office Chief Reza Fahlevi remarked in the provincial city of Banda Ace on Saturday that the promotion of Sail Sabang aims to attract Malaysian and foreign tourists visiting the city of Sabang and witnessing the international sailing event. "Together with tourism actors, we continue to promote Aceh tourism packages, including Sail Sabang event that will be held late November to early December this year," Fahlevi remarked. According to him the participation of Aceh in the Matta Fair became an important moment to promote Sail Sabang and Aceh as the best halal tourism destination in Indonesia, even in the world. In the meantime, Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf has expressed his hope that the Sail Sabang from November 28 to December 5, 2017 will run successfully and become the gateway for foreign tourists to the province. "We are determined to succeed Sail Sabang and make the city of Sabang a gateway for international and domestic tourists," said the Aceh Governor. As part of the national annual event of Sail Indonesia, Sail Sabang is expected to attract more than 100 yachts from different countries to participate in the international yacht rally. Yachters from Europe, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, including those from other parts of the world, are expected to participate in the international yacht rally of Sail Sabang; hence, preparations are being optimized by the Aceh provincial government. Hence, Governor Irwandi Yusuf has requested that preparations for the implementation of the annual event of Sail Sabang this year be made more optimally. "Preparations for Sail Sabang 2017 must be optimized and coordinated with the relevant agencies," the Aceh governor remarked in Sabang on Friday. Irwandi emphasized that all relevant parties must make optimal preparations to meet the requirements to ensure success of the international event of Sail Sabang. According to the governor, all parties involved in the implementation of Sail Sabang must work hard and maximally in line with their respective duties, so that the event can be held successfully as expected. Scheduled to be attended by President Joko Widodo on Dec 2, the Sail Sabang event is expected to encourage private investment, especially in the tourism industry in Aceh. "Sail Sabang should be optimized to encourage private investment in the tourism industry," Iskandar, head of the Capital Investment and Integrated One-Stop Service of Aceh Province, remarked. Iskandar acknowledged that the city of Sabang has marine tourism potential that is no less interesting than that in other regions. Speaking in connection with the tourism industry in Aceh, Iskandar said Sabang has become a barometer, but the city's tourism potential has yet to be managed optimally. Hence, he expressed hope that Sail Sabang would be able to encourage growth in the tourism industry in Sabang comprising several scenic islands, including Weh. The sail event is part of the efforts to develop Sabang as a maritime tourism destination, as the government has set a medium-term plan for 2019 to develop Sabang. Foreign tourist arrivals in Sabang currently reach some 12 thousand. By 2019, the number of foreign tourists is expected to increase three folds to reach some 30 thousand, and thus, the local government needs to improve accessibility and human resources to serve as guides and diving instructors. Sabang city government's spokesman Sofyan Adam has affirmed that the local government will continue to promote the tourism industry with the hope of improving the welfare of the local communities. "We continue to make improvements and rectify any shortcomings in stages for the convenience of the tourists, as tourism is the mainstay product of Weh Island whose landscapes and forests are beautiful," Adam noted. The Aceh government had designated Weh Island and its surrounding areas as a national tourism strategic area, and this step demonstrates its commitment to promoting tourism in Sabang and Weh Island. The waters of Weh Island are home to 133 coral reef species, according to a study on coral reefs jointly conducted by the Fishery and Marine Research Centre of the Syiah Kuala University, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University of Australia, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Flora and Fauna International. The results of this study reveal the uniqueness of coral reefs in Weh Island and its vicinity. This is reflected in the composition of species, which is a mix of Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean coral reef forms as well as the ones commonly found in the Indonesian waters. The diversity of coral reefs in the waters of Weh Island is similar to those of Halmahera Island in North Maluku Province, and in the Andaman Sea. If Weh Island is considered to be a representative of the Andaman Sea, the coral reef in the area should be jointly protected by Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Protection should be first provided in the Coral Triangle region, covering the waters of the Philippines in the north, Solomon Island in the east, and Bali Province, Indonesia, in the west.