Photography Competition a Highlight of Biak Munara Wampasi Festival
Jakarta. The Tourism Ministry is helping to organize a photo competition for the Biak Munara Wampasi Festival 2017 in Biak, Papua, sending a ministry representative to join its panel of judges. The festival runs from July 1 to July 4.
"We want to find photographs that can help us promote Biak," ministry representative Bambang Wijanarko said in a statement on Monday (03/07).
Bambang said 50 photographers have already submitted their photos for the competition.
"There are professional photographers and also hobbyists among them," he added.
The Association of Indonesian Photographers (APFI) Papua Chairman Illias Irawan said he was pleased with the enthusiasm shown by the participants, who came to Biak from all over the archipelago at their own expense.
"The overall theme [of the competition] is the natural beauty and culture of Biak. We offer Rp 50 million ($3,750) in total prizes," Illias said.
The three judges for the competition are commercial photographer Ditto Birawa, travel photographer Raiyani Muharramah and Bambang from the Tourism Ministry.
"We will select the top three photos from a short list of 30. The photos will be used by the Tourism Ministry to promote Biak," Illias said.
The ministry’s deputy of tourism development Esthy Reko Astuti said the enormous enthusiasm for the photo competition is a great help to the ministry.
"60 percent of tourists respond to marketing by videos or moving pictures. 35 percent love photos. Only five percent prefer text. Photos and videos are easier to go viral on social media, which would be helpful [for our campaign]," Esthy said.
The festival will also feature traditional activities not found elsewhere, such as "snapmor" (catching fish with a spear), a concert featuring 1,000 tifas — the traditional musical instrument from Biak and the Wor and Pancar street parades.
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