The event which ran July 1-3, 2011, involved hundreds of students and promoted the tourism potentials of the province, ial, those of Anyer district in particular.
"The Anyer Festival at Patra Sambolo beach was conducted to promote the tourism potentials of Banten province," Banten`s Culture and Tourism Office spokesman Rukman Teddy said in Anyer on Sunday.
Rukman said the this year`s event was also intended to introduce Anyer`s tourist attractions to students.
He said the first festival in 2010 was conducted in the run-up to Banten province`s anniversary, but the second one this year was held in conjunction with the long school vacation to attract as many students as possible.
According to him the event was intended to promote Bante`s tourism and to provide education to the students who visited the festival.
"The most important thing is that the festival is held at Patra Sambolo beach to make it known for tourists besides Anyer and Carita beaches," Rukman said, adding that thousands of people from Banten visited the festival.
Banten offers tourists an assortment of beaches, coastal resorts, and interesting towns, all of which are spread around its four districts and within its subsequent main municipalities of Cilegon, Serang, and Tangerang.
During the 5th century, Banten province was actually a part of the ancient Tarumanegara kingdom and traces of this period are still visible in the area of Lebak where a well-preserved stone inscription stands alongside the Cidanghiang River.
No wonder tourism in Banten has become a thriving element with so much to explore.
The white sandy beaches including Anyer, Karang Bolong, Labuan, and Carita with the distant views of the world famous Mount Krakatau are the most popular tourist attractions in Banten province.
Various water sport opportunities are provided around the beaches, ranging from windsurfing, water skiing and jet skiing, to scuba diving, snorkeling and fun rides on inflatable banana boats, as well as glass-bottom boat cruises.
Besides, the Ujung Kulon National Park is also known for its beaches and coral reefs, as well as its wildlife and jungle treks.
For some serious bird watching, the Pulau Dua Bird Sanctuary, on the island of Pulau Dua, is one of the best that Indonesia has to offer.
Families will likely prefer the water slides at the Tangerang Ocean Park.
Therefore, Banten provincial administration has finally turned the just concluded Anyer Festival into its annual agenda in an effort to increase the number of tourist visits.
"The Anyer Festival which has been held for the second time will be an annual agenda of the Banten provincial administration," Banten Vice Governor HM Masduki said here on Sunday.
He said the Anyer Festival 2011 which was enlivened with various cultural performances including arts and music, Banten`s typical culinary dishes, and handicraft exhibition would be an annual agenda to promote Banten tourism.
"Anyer Festival is a real effort in tourism and cultural development to attract as many tourists as possible," Masduki said, adding that the event was intended to introduce art and cultural potentials especially at Anyer Beach.
He said the event was also expected to encourage the productivity and creativity of the local artists, and inspire them to maintain and preserve their art and cultural assets.
"Anyer tourism resort has already had an extensive market share because it is located between Java and Sumatra islands and supported by the diversity of its appeals," Masduki said.
He said the festival which lasted from July 1 to 3, 2011, at Patra Sambolo beach was held during the long school holidays to attract more students to visit the area.
Roma Sibli, a visitor from Tangerang, said the festival was very interesting and the concept of the program was also good to attract many tourists.
"I come here after I get an information about the festival from the hotel where I stay," Roma Sibli said.
Another visitor, Shita Mawarny of a university in Bandung, West Java, said Anyer Festival was a very positive event to attract more domestic and foreign tourists.
"Such an event should have been promoted widely in advance to the people from all walk of life in West Java and other provinces, and if needed to the Asian and European countries as well," Shita said.
She said Anyer has actually been very well-known for the people at home and abroad for its tourism attraction.
"If the Anyer Festival is aggressively promoted, it will attract many more visitors," Shita said, adding that the event was also able to increase the local people`s income.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Serang branch manager Hamdono said the Anyer Festival was able to increase the number of both domestic and foreign tourists visiting Anyer tourism resort.
"We positively welcome the festival which was organized by Banten provincial government because such an event will attract even more tourists to visit the area," Hamdono said.
He explained that the event had a lot of positive impact on the tourism sector in Banten province in general and in Anyer district in specific.
(Uu.O001/HAJM/F001)
Reporter: by Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
