“Light Star” for Tourism in West Nusa Tenggara (II)

Festival “Big Drum Beleq” became famous as called “Big Drums” Lombok distinctive look. The drum is similar to size of adult human body , who picked up and beaten. The combination management between “indigenous” and “Expatriates” in Lombok has succeeded in producing promotional presentation, so that from any international goggles illustrated how beautiful and romantic ride around. How “explorable” Rinjani mountain climbing pleasure. And traveled around not far of the Senggigi region, we would find the “discovery” is typical.

Expatriate here again quoting an old saying: “You can see Bali in Lombok, but you can not see Lombok in Bali “. Balinese community with Temples scattered in several places, and there are established in 16th century and 19th.

If the VLS 2012 target 500,000 domestic tourists to visit Lombok, it would most probably be achieved since last year they had amounted to 330,575. The flight that landed to Lombok now composed of Garuda Indonesia, Merpati, Lion, IAT, Trigana, and immediately to follow the Batavia Air. Frequency also tends to increase, specially later when BIL – Lombok International Airport begin operation in mid 2010.

Even more dubious is how much can bring in tourists from overseas, considering up to now only two airlines that fly directly to Lombok. Silk Air of Singapore and Merpati from Kuala Lumpur. There Lion’s will open the Kuala Lumpur route this year, while AirAsia blew plans to fly to Lombok using wide body aircraft from Malaysia, so that meant waiting for the opening of BIL in middle of next year.

Regarding the accessibility needs of this air transport, Deputy Governor of Bali along with provincial House Speaker made a business trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, approached the leaders of Silk Air and Malaysian Airlines and AirAsia.

Misbach Mulyadi, Executive Director of Lombok Sumbawa Tourism Promotion Board in Mataram, said the visit resulted in a statement from Silk Air who will increase the frequency to Lombok, just depending on constraints technically at the airport currently facing.

By the way, the Tourism Promotion Board has been established since 1999. At that time I met one of the activists, Mrs. Rosa, who until now continued to be active. The Agency suggests worked consistently relentless, funded by the NTB Province Government.

So this body is also active as an arm of government to accept and implementing a planned event TIME – Tourism Indonesia Mart & Expo. TIME was taken over in Mataram to operate in 2009 and 2010. Last year it was held in Makassar.

“There has been 115 registered buyers, including participants from South Africa and New Zealand, ” Misbach Mulyadi convince us as we met the week ago. He himself as TIME steering committee, added: “Especially from Malaysia, about 40 tour operators with 10 media will attend.”

No half-hearted too, all the buyers from abroad, as TIME participants, he said, financed entirely by the budget of the government. Tourism Ministry of Jakarta support this program.

In Lombok itself, local tourism office approached and “persuades” provincial Department of Transportation, to attempt to encourage the airlines to increase frequency and service to this destination.

“We’re running high-level coordination functions. We make visit to Transportation office for instance. Subsequently we leave further process and implementation to the agencies concerned, “said Gita, Head of the provincial tourism office.

He also gave an example, how they approached Education Department and requested, so that the activities of high school study tour, or KKN –field study practices – of universities in this province, especially for the year 2010 should be directing their plan to be carried out in the NTB area. Not necessarily go outside the province. The Governor also wrote various universities with the same content suggestions, hoping service learning programs – a real working class, to be directed to Lombok.

“At the same time campaigning for Sapta Pesona, a seven-itemed country charm and  love your country campaign”, he said.

Big Drum Beleq

They highlighted the uniqueness of “Big Drum Beleq” Lombok property. A big contest in one full day will be performed and to be recorded in the Indonesia’s Guinness book called MURI: A pegendang – a drummer will be selected as strongest. The contest is going to be a multi-ethnic archipelago-wise, will be entertained with parades, performances, in addition to the seminar.

The real purpose of this concept, is towards the implementation of a major event in the year 2012 Visit Lombok Sumbawa. That is an international contest may mean a Big International Ethnic Drums Contest! And this would be used as one of “eye catching performance, “if it is packed with style and manner and set in the target in the right promotion.

There is one more. They are designing a big event might be titled “Reunion Ramadan 2012 “. Citizens residing outside the provincial area as well as outside the country, will be invited back in the VLS year, for they will be presented an event “reunion” at home. The format and content of event was presently in designing work..

“Communications will use face book as well,” explained by Gita, so that the various media of communication will be made use.

Efforts to manage tourism practically in NTB clearly need to be supported by stakeholders. Process and the result should be guarded and measured by the institutions concerned. If back to basic, size will be seen in the extent to which developing and integrating of A 3-factor, accessibility, accommodation, attractions into saleable products decent .===