REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia launched the Wonderful Indonesia Culinary and Shopping Festival (WICSF) 2017 on World Tourism Day on Wednesday, which will last for a month from Sept. 27 to Oct. 27 at shopping malls in 18 big cities in 12 provinces in the country.

Tourism minister Arief Yahya stated that "culinary has become one of the attractions of a region besides handicrafts. The festival will serve as a good means to promote regions as well as attract foreign as well as local tourists."

The event is held under the cooperation of the Ministry of Tourism and the Association of Indonesia Shopping Centers (APPBI).

More than 100 shopping centers will take part in the festival held under the theme of "Savor the Captivating Flavor & Big Discounts."

The event is held with an aim of promoting culinary and shopping tourism as important tourism products to boost foreign tourists' arrival to the country, which is expected to reach 15 million, in addition to 256 million local tourists in the country.

Yahya hailed the event as one that will promote local dishes as well as increase transactions at shopping centers.

The deputy for archipelago tourism marketing development of the ministry of tourism, Esthy Reko Astuti, remarked that it is hoped WICSF 2017 would become a significant event for food lovers and shoppers.

"Visitors at the event may enjoy a variety of local dishes and shop for various kinds of products at discount prices," she remarked.

Provinces involved in the event include North Dumatra, South Sumatra, Pekanbaru, Banten, Yogyakarta, West Java, East Java, Bali, East Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, and West Sulawesi. 

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