Singaporean Tourists Set to Flock to Batam for Nongsa Mandarin Concert
Jakarta. Ramadan does not seem to affect tourism in Indonesia's border areas, with the Nongsa Mandarin Concert, set to take place in Batam, Riau Islands, this weekend, expected to attract up to 400 visitors from nearby Singapore.
"We are aiming for the Chinese market. Since Sheila Majid's Cross-Border Tourism concert in Batam, I have instructed the ministry's echelon-three officials to cooperate with business owners in Nongsa, Batam to come up with ideas for attractive events. The target is to attract hundreds of foreign tourists from neighboring countries," Esthy Reko Astuti, deputy for tourism development at the Ministry of Tourism, said on Monday (22/05).
Popular Singapore artists Yang Junting, Ryan Lian, Luo Jiaming, Huang Bihua and Michelle Cho are scheduled to perform at the event, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Other artists also scheduled to make appearances include Katherine, Babes, Sam Loo, Lim Zhi Yi, Chen Xing and Yin Yin.
"More than 200 tickets have already been sold to Singaporeans, or expatriates living there," Esthy said.
Andy Fong, general manager of Batam View Beach Resort, confirmed the ticket sales, saying that they have also sold hundreds of holiday packages to Singaporeans and that the number is expected to increase.
"The stage is ready. The artists are ready. As of today, more than 200 have tickets have already been sold. This number may rise to 400. The Tourism Ministry's support has made it easier for me to attract Singaporean tourists to Batam," Andy said.
In Nongsa, tourists will not only stay at their hotels, since they are also encouraged to spend time in Batam, with city tours and shopping packages included in their itineraries.
"The event is set to be extremely festive. Aside from the city tour, Singaporean tourists may also join a gala dinner and [other] shows, release sky lanterns and enjoy fireworks," Andy said.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya praised the collaboration between the government and local businesses to attract foreign tourists.
"This involves participation from immigration [officials], hotels, security and all related institutions," Arief said.
"It will also make a good impact. Foreign tourists visiting border areas will showcase improvements in Indonesia," he added.
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