REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Tourism Ministry fully supports efforts to promote tourism in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) by organizing Tour de Flores (TdF) from May 16-26, 2016 on NTT's Flores Island.
"I will help promote Tour de Flores across the country and the world. We can promote it anywhere," Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said when launching Tour de Flores 2016 here on Thursday evening.
According to him, his ministry has 30,000 slots on international television networks for tourism promotion.
He said Tour de Flores' activities were aimed at promoting the Flores Island of East Nusa Tenggara. It is one of the 10 tourism destinations in the country whose development is being accelerated by the government.
"We call this event sports tourism. Its direct impact on the tourism sector is not too big but it has an effective media value. So, tourism destinations through which the TdF routes will pass will attain a brand value," the minister said.
Arief explained that with its extraordinary natural potential, organizing a cycling race is the best way to promote the regions.
The TdF cycling race will cover a route of 661.5 kilometers, divided into five laps, namely Larantuka-Maumere, Maumere-Ende, Ende-Bajwa, Bajawa-Ruteng and Ruteng-Labuan Bajo stretches.
Arief said that he hoped Tour de Flores would be comparable to the MotoGP event which was broadcast by 62 broadcasting stations. Earlier, a similar cycling event, namely West Sumatra's Tour de Singkarak, had become an international cycling event attracting world attention.
"Hopefully, Tour de Flores would copy the success of Tour de Singkarak which is now ranked fifth on the world list. We hope Tour de Flores also catches up," the minister said.
Meanwhile, Chief organizer of the Tour de Flores, Primus Dorimulu, said the cycling race in which world-class cyclists will participate will help promote the development of Flores tourism.
Among the participants will be world-class cyclists who once took part in international cycling races, such as the Tour de France in Paris and Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia.
The event, he said, will boost Flores' infrastructure development. The route of the journey will stretch from the eastern tip to the western part of the island.
Primus said the participants in the Tour de Flores will travel through the route which stretches along the northern coastal line to the southern part and then proceed through the mountainous area. It will begin from barren lowland areas in the east to the green Flores areas. Its panorama is very beautiful. What is most challenging is that Flores has 10 kings of mountains while Singkarak of West Sumatra only has two, according to Primus.
A total of 21 teams from 24 countries will take part in the international cycling race. Among the athletes will be world class cyclists who once took part in the Tour de Ijen of Banyuwangi.
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