VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Asian Games 2018 will be held in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2, 2018. The 18th Asian regional multi sport event will be held in two regions: Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra. This is the second time for Indonesia to host the event after the 4th Asian Games held in Jakarta in 1962. At this sporting event, Indonesia will be visited by many visitors from various countries. This provides its own advantages for Indonesia, from the economy and tourism sides. Chairman of the Asian Games 2018 Organizing Committee (Inasgoc), Erick Thohir said that the event will boost Indonesian tourism sector. To take advantage of the moment, Inasgoc together with the Ministry of Tourism has created a package of tour promotion for foreign tourists during the 2018 Asian Games. The package is in the form of regular promotions for the public and special promotion through the athletes and participating country team officials who will arrive a month earlier than the opening day. According to Erick Thohir, the tour package is aimed at foreign tourists who are interested in sports. After watching the matches they can visit tourist destinations in Indonesia, such as Bali or other places of interest. According to Erick, it is difficult to invite tourists who are already in favorite holiday places like Bali to come to the 2018 Asian Games. At the time of the Asian Games 2018 is taking place, the number of foreign tourists is estimated to reach around 250 thousand people. In addition, Erick is of the opinion that the organizing of the 2018 Asian Games will not be disturbed by the moment of the political year in Indonesia. The announcement of the presidential and vice presidential candidates scheduled in August 2018, is expected not to affect the 2018 Asian Games. Meanwhile, Palembang as one of the cities where the implementation of Asian Games 2018, also continues to clean up and prepare its leading tourist destinations, such as Musi River and several other tributaries in the city of Palembang. Currently normalization of Sekanak river is being done. Acting Palembang Mayor Akhmad Najib explained that the Palembang City Government has prepared a budget of 7.5 billion rupiah for Sekanak river restoration which will be one of the tourist destinations in Palembang. In the near future the program, which has been planned since 2016 by Mayor Harnojoyo, has entered the preparation stage of the work. This river will be much prettier and become one of the new tourism destinations in Palembang City.