Scheduled to be held in September, the sailing event will take place in Tomini Bay, Indonesias largest bay that borders the provinces of Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi and North Sulawesi.
Sail Tomini 2015 will showcase the biodiversity of Tomini Bay to the world, promoting its potential to become a world marine tourism destination in these three provinces.
The cultural diversities of Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi and North Sulawesi with underwater panoramas can make Tomini Bay, situated in the coral triangle, a prime tourist destination.
Governor of Gorontalo Rusli Habibie said on Friday that the Boalemo cultural festival will also be held together with Sail Tomini 2015.
Habibie expressed hope that Sail Tomini and Boalemo Festival 2015 will produce great benefits that will improve the welfare of the local community.
He explained in Gorontalo on Friday that the two events have been scheduled for September, but various preparations were already underway to ensure their success.
"We have a lot of marine and fisheries potential to introduce and promote during Sail Tomini and the Boalemo Festival," Habibie remarked.
According to the governor, the international marine event of Sail Tomini and the festival aim to promote Tomini Bay.
He noted that Sail Tomini will further strengthen and increase cooperation and brotherhood among the three provinces, which have been mutually supportive of each other.
He pointed out that numerous activities were scheduled to coincide with the sailing event and the festival, including the Surya Baskara Jaya health service operation, a village development movement, national seminars, a diplomatic tour, a yacht rally, a Tomini Bay research expedition, and media publications.
"These activities will be carried out during the sailing event and the festival, as the government of Bengkulu province is determined to make the events great successes," Governor Habibie affirmed.
He also urged the public in the province to support these international and national events.
"Both Sail Tomini and the Boalemo Festival will greatly contribute to the welfare of the local community, and therefore, everyone here should support the events," the governor added.
Furthermore, Head of Bone Bolango district in Gorontalo, Hamim Pou, said that Tomini Bay should continue to be preserved because it is rich in marine life.
"Tomini Bay has great marine biodiversity that should be protected. The government of Bone Bolango district is actively engaging in its protection," Pou stated in Gorontalo on Wednesday.
He noted that the marine life and coral reefs in Tomini Bay should continue to be protected and preserved, ahead of the international maritime event, Sail Tomini 2015.
According to the district head, Tomini Bay is the largest in Indonesia, with an area of approximately six million hectares of natural and marine resources.
"Tomini Bay has an area of 1,031 hectares of coral reefs, and a mangrove forest cover of 785.10 hectares," he observed, adding that Olele Marine Park is part of the bay.
Pou also pointed out that Olele Marine Park offers a beautiful beach and amazing underwater life to explore.
Unlike Wakatobi and Bunaken, this marine park is not only a new heaven for divers, but has also become a favorite destination for foreign tourists.
Moreover, the Bone Bolango district government will take part in the Sail Tomini event by organizing an Olele Festival to support President Joko Widodos maritime development program, he affirmed.
Pou said he wanted the Olele Marine Park to be as renowned as other maritime destinations in Indonesia such as the Bunaken Marine Park in Manado, North Sulawesi, the Raja Ampat in Papua, and the other destinations in Bali and Lombok.
To achieve its goal, the Bone Bolango district administration has been promoting the marine park and improving the infrastructure at the location, including inviting investors to invest in Oleles tourism sector.
"We also laud the local residents of Olele National Marine Park for their efforts towards preserving the marine beauty, especially its beautiful coral reefs," Pou remarked.
Allain Guillard, a French tourist, stated that he was mesmerized by the beauty of Oleles underwater world. It has huge potential in the tourism industry, he emphasized.
"Gorontalo, especially Olele, is the best place for diving in Sulawesi Island," Guillard added.
The Frenchman accidentally discovered the "hidden paradise" while in transit in Olele before continuing his journey to Togean Islands, Central Sulawesi province.
Despite diving 40 times in several spots during his first visit to Olele, Guillard was not satisfied. During his second visit, he went diving 30 more times.
"It is his third visit here. He (Guillard) has been here for five days and has dived 16 times. I do not know how many more times he will go," Yunis Amu (36), a local diving guide of Miguels Diving, observed.
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Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
