JakMar 2013 is a good opportunity to promote Jakarta to the international community..."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Jakarta Marathon 2013 (JakMar 2013), an international event, aims to promote the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta to the international community, said Governor of Jakarta Joko Widodo on Monday.

"JakMar 2013 is a good opportunity to promote Jakarta to the international community as it will be covered by both national and international media," said the governor, who is popularly known as Jokowi.

The governor mentioned that he fully supports JakMar 2013, which will be held on October 27, 2013, to promote Jakarta to the international audience.

Meanwhile, Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy Mari Elka Pangestu said JakMar 2013 is part of sports tourism and recreation being introduced by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.

"Through effective recreational and sporting events, we can raise the number of foreign tourist arrivals, which rose to 6.44 percent or 4,872,262 in July as compared to last year," added Mari.

Meanwhile, Vice Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy Sapta Nirwandar said JakMar 2013 will be participated by 5,800 runners from 43 countries to compete for the Grand Prize of US$40 thousand.

The event itself will be divided into five categories - a full marathon of 42 kilometres (km), a half marathon of 21 km, others of 10 km and 5 km, and a marathon for children, which will be 1.3 km long.

"The marathon will commence at the National Monument area and cover Budi Kemuliaan, the Old City, Istiqlal Mosque, Thamrin Road, Imam Bonjol area, Rasuna Said Road, Gatot Subroto, Asia Afrika, and Sudirman Road," said Nirwandar.

JakMar is among the many sports and leisure tourism programmes organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, aimed at boosting tourism in Indonesia.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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