Belitong Tourism

Belitong and Sail Indonesia 2011

A number of high-masted sailing ship owned by the participants of Sail Indonesia 2010 is parked on the coast of Tanjung Kelayang, Belitong Island.

Original Text by Jannes Eudes Wawa, Executive summary by Darmansjah

The atmosphere at Cape Coast Kelayang, Belitong, Wednesday (13/10) night, really festive. About 130 foreign tourists in 2010 Sail Indonesia participants mingle with the community and local government officials. With the accompaniment of local bands and singers, they were together dancing until close to 23:00 pm.

What a satisfying event. We could join and celebrate with the community Belitong. They welcomed us very friendly and sincere. It's an incredible experience, "says Simon Bailey, from Austria.

 Cape Coast Kelayang

Belitong, which is famous for its charm granite rock formations and the white sand, it had been four consecutive years since 2007 to place participants Sail Indonesia last stop before leaving the territorial waters of Indonesia. The move has provided a positive impact on the development of tourism sector in the region.

In 2002, for example, foreign tourists who visit the islands of Bangka Belitong only 126 people. However, in 2008 reached 4221 people, and continues to rise in 2009 as many as 4449 people.

The increase also occurred in domestic tourists. In 2003, for example, the domestic tourists who visited Bangka Belitong many as 40,549 people. That number continues to grow and in 2009 reached 84,523 people. The volume is believed to be increasing every year.

Admittedly, Bangka Belitong is a new player in the tourism sector. For about 300 years, this area is submerged in a shiny tin so that the other advantages, particularly tourism was not explored.

"We are just beginning to move to the tourism sector around 2008. Hence, there are still many shortcomings, such as infrastructure, lodging, including promotion. However, we will continue to try to fix because of Bangka Belitong have big magnets that can suck tourists, "said Head of Tourism Yan Megawandi Bangka Belitung province.

Potential natural

Indeed, the Pacific Islands Belitong becoming known to have remarkable charm after the movie Laskar Pelangi. In the film, which was launched in 2008 was shown pictures of the beauty of the surrounding granite rock formations Belitong with white sandy beaches have been hypnotized many people to visit the islands of Bangka Belitong.

Among young professionals in Jakarta who likes adventure, for example, began making Belitong as a location for a vacation on the weekend. Choice was made because the flight from Jakarta to Belitong only taken for 45 minutes. Much shorter latency if you have a vacation to the South End Tile in West Java who would spend about seven hours by private car. In fact, suffer from stress in the middle of the road due to traffic congestion.

Currently there are four wide-bodied aircraft flights per day serving the route from Jakarta to Belitong go home, ie, Sriwijaya Air and Batavia three times once flew. In fact, in late November 2010 the possibility of Garuda Indonesia will also serve this route.

"Since a year ago, I and some friends prefer vacationing in Belitong than to Pangandaran, tile Ujung or Carita. Shorter travel time, travel expenses and the costs at the destination is cheaper, even more beautiful charm. Too many objects to photograph and interesting, "said Rizky (27), employees of foreign companies in Jakarta.

Charm of a beautiful stretch of beach in Belitong almost feel scattered in all coastal, including the islands around it. Its beauty is not just white sand and granite rock formations, such as Kelayang in Cape Coast, Cape Coast High, Galangal Beach Island, Pig Island, Bird Island, Beach Berahu Buki, and many other places.

There were also the underwater beauty of the various types of coral reefs and fish. It spread across the island of Bakau, Madau Gusong Island, Pulau Limau Books, Memperak Island, Island Siadong, Heaters Island, Island taps, Sekepar Island and other islands in the territorial waters of the East Belitung. "We are very confident of natural beauty under the sea in the waters here would probably disappoint the divers," said Regent East Belitung Basuri Purnama.

For accommodations also started growing hospitality business. Until October 2010, for example, there are about 300 units of five-star hotel rooms and is operated in Belitong jasmine. In fact, two three-star hotel opened in 2010.

"Some investors have expressed an intention to open a five-star hotel in Belitong. There are currently preparing the process of permitting and construction. We also unfurled the red carpet for investors, "said Regent Pacific Islands Dharmansyah Hussein.

Aware of the tourism potential that is owned, local government was determined to hold a Sail Indonesia 2011 in Belitong. Activities that are named Sail Belitong 2011 was believed to be the region's tourism promotion media to the world stage. Moreover, Belitong for four consecutive years since 2007 has become the last stop participants Sail Indonesia before traveling to Malaysia and Singapore.

"Belitong very qualified to be the center of Sail Indonesia 2011. There is a vast water areas for the parking of hundreds of high-masted sailboat and have a decent natural beauty enjoyed by participants. More importantly, the full support of provincial and local districts, "said Executive Director of Yayasan Cinta Bahari Raymond Lesmana as the organizer of Sail Indonesia.