Indonesia to take part in Shanghai Tourism Festival

Indonesia will take part in the Shanghai Tourism Festival (STF) which will be held from September 13 to October 6, in Shanghai, China, in a bid to promote its national tourism, art and culture internationally.

"Indonesia`s participation in the event will be part of efforts to promote tourism potential, art and culture to the international community," Head of the Indonesian Embassy`s Social and Cultural Department Rosmalawati Chalid said here, Monday.

In the festival, Indonesia would be represented by North Sulawesi administration in cooperation with the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the Indonesian embassy, and the Indonesia Shanghai Business Association (IBAS), she said.

Rosmalawati said, STF was one of the 23 large-scale tourism festivals which have been held regularly since 1990 in China, and attracted a big number of foreign tourists.

In 2007, some 8 million local and foreign tourists visited the festival to seek information on world tourism places.

In the festival`s opening ceremony, each participating country would present its local arts and culture. Last year, the Indonesian delegation won the "Best Lighting Award", she said.

Indonesia`s delegation this year would bring "The Wonders of Sulawesi" as its theme, by featuring dancers and musicians from North Sulawesi as well as Jember Fashion Carnival which would perform eco-friendly costumes, she said.

Indonesia`s 36-member delegation would comprise representatives of the tourism and culture ministry, dancers, singers, musicians, North Sulawesi`s and IBAS officials.

STF 2008 is to be sponsored by Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administrative Commission and is scheduled to be officially opened on late Saturday, September 13.