Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The North Jakarta administration will organize a Coastal Tourism Festival at Sunda Kelapa harbor on Saturday (July 16).

"Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo is scheduled to attend the event," North Jakarta Mayor Bambang Sugiyono said here Wednesday.

North Jakarta has maritime, cultural, religious, culinary and marine sport tourism attractions.

The festival would be an effort to support the government`s Strategic Partnership to Pioneer the Trans-Coastal Regions Economic Cprridor, he said.

The festival will feature a fun bike and coastal culture attractions from Jakarta and other coastal regions in Indonesia.

Jakarta marine athletes will also take part in the festival.

The festival will be held also to commemorate the launching of 12 coastal tourism destinations by Governor Fauzi Bowo at the Jaya Ancol Marina on July 26, 2009.

The tourism industry is a major contributor to Jakarta`s revenues. The 12 Coastal Tourism Destination program which has been implemented for the last two years, has resulted in a reduction in the poverty rate in North Jakarta.

"Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) shows that the number of poor people in North Jakarta had decreased from 54,000 to 50,000 over the past two years," he said.

The mayors of some 20 other cities in Indonesia will participate in the Coastal Tourism Festival.

"We have invited 20 mayors whose regions are located in coastal areas," North Jakarta Mayor Bambang Sugiyono said earlier.

The festival will also include an exhibition displaying the tourism potentials of Indonesia`s coastal regions.

North Jakarta has 12 coastal tourism destinations located at or near beaches between Cilincing and Penjaringan.
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Editor: AA Ariwibowo
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