Sabang Int'l Regatta to be Organized to Attract Tourist

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The culture and tourism ministry will launch a marine sports event called Sabang International Regatta 2011 to attract domestic and foreign tourists.

The event would be organized jointly by the culture and tourism ministry, the Aceh provincial administration, the Sabang city administration, and the Indonesian Sailing Association , the ministry said in a press statement here Friday. Sabang International Regatta will be organized on September 13 to 25, 2011.

"Sabang International Regatta is a new program of the culture and tourism ministry to promote marine tourism in the western part of Indonesia. This event will invite participants from various countries," Sondi Sampurno of the organizing committee, said after attending a coordinating meeting on the Sabang International Regatta here recently.

Countries expected to take part in the event will include Australia, the United States, England, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong. Participants will sail by yachts and motor yacht rally from Phuket (Thailand) to Langkawi (Malaysia).

The event is aimed at placing Aceh in the world’s tourism map through international-scale sailing sport and to recover Sabang’s image as a safe and comfortable tourist destination.

"Sabang city which is located on Weh Island, is a city of natural seaport in the western part. It has rich marine potential, attractive marine tourism and rich and extraordinary beautiful undersea wildlife," he said. Sabang International Regatta is also aimed at attracting investors to do businesses in Aceh and Sabang in particular.

"We will make the Sabang International Regatta as a permanent international event," he said. The "Visit Indonesia Fremantle-Bali International Yacht Race 2011" was recently held in Bali.

"The race was participated in by 23 yachts which started from Fremantle harbor in Australia on April 23, and reached the finish line at Benoa harbor in Bali on Mei 7, 2011," the tourism and culture ministry’s marketing director general, Sapta Nirwandar, said at Hotel Sanur Beach, Bali.