REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MANADO -- The regional government of North Sulawesi needs to develop its religious tourism potential, a central bank executive said.

"Currently, the government of North Sulawesi is boosting the development of its tourism sector and it is hoped that it will also include religious tourism in the program," Head of Bank Indonesia (BI) for North Sulawesi, Peter Jacobs, added here on Wednesday.

At present, the tourism sector can ease the burden of the current economic growth slowdown in the country, he noted.

Moreover, North Sumatra is famous for its religious sites and this potential should be tapped, he added.

"Thus, Muslims who visit North Sulawesi can also enjoy religious tourism like visiting the graveyard of national hero Tuanku Imam Bonjol in Pineleng, Minahasa," he explained.

Likewise, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus can also do the same thing as are many places of worship in North Sulawesi.

Besides the Tuanku Imam Bonjol graveyard, there are a number of hills for prayers in the province of North Sulawesi, old church sites and many others which could be developed as tourist destinations to attract domestic and foreign visitors.

He explained that religious tourism, in addition to attracting tourists, will reap revenues for the region, and more importantly, improve the religious knowledge of the visitors.

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