Burhan said the city administration had already begun efforts to revive the local tourism such as opening the Kedaton Ternate Sultanate Museum, empowering the local vernacular center and sprucing up several colonial-era forts such Fort Oranye.
Other efforts on the city government`s agenda were holding cultural festivals such as a Kora Kora (traditional boat) festival, Ela-ela and Legu Gam festivals in cooperation with the Ternate sultanate.
The local government would also promote Ternate`s tourism potentials through the internet or campaigns in a number of well-known tourist destinations in Indonesia like Bali and other places.
Burhan said the city government was resolved to make tourism one of the region`s main sources of income , and was optimistic that with the construction of a number of star-rated hotels in and the opening of several airline routes to and from Ternate, its goal could be gradually achieved.
The local government was also preparing the city for the holding of the Sail Morotai festival in Morotai Island in the middle of 2012 by upgrading all infrastructure facilities in the region.
"People from outside North Maluku intending to participate in the Sail Morotai festival are most likely to transit in Ternate, especially those who travel by airplane. Therefore, the local government will capitalize on this momentum to develop Ternate`s tourism," he said.(*)
F013/HAJM/H-YH
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
