Krisis Global Juga Hantam Industri Pariwisata Dunia

JAKARTA, SELASA - Badan PBB untuk pariwisata (UN-WTO/United Nations World Tourism Organization) memperkirakan pertumbuhan pariwisata global akan menurun. "Karena krisis keuangan global diperkirakan akan berlanjut sampai 2009, UN-WTO memperkirakan persentase laju pertumbuhan kunjungan pariwisata global akan berada di kisaran 0 - 2 persen," kata Staf Ahli Menbudpar (Menteri Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata) Thamrin B Bachri melalui pesan singkat dari China, Senin (17/11).
    
Thamrin berpartisipasi mewakili Indonesia pada International Conference on Revitalization of Tourism and Confronting Crisis di Chengdu Propinsi Sichuan, Cina yang diprakarsi oleh UN-WTO dan CNTA (China National Tourism Administration) dari 15 November - 19 November 2008.
    
Mengutip UN-WTO, Thamrin mengatakan padahal persentase pertumbuhan kunjunan pariwisata global pada empat bulan pertama tahun 2008 sudah mencapai rata-rata 5,7 persen. "Bahkan pada bulan Mei 2008 terjadi peningkatan permintaan mencapai 7 persen. Namun mulai Juni, Juli, Agustus 2008 pertumbuhan menurun 2 persen sehingga untuk 8 bulan pertama 2008 rata-rata pertumbuhan dunia 3,7 persen," katanya.
    
UN-WTO memperkirakan pertumbuhan pariwisata dunia akan terus melambat sekitar 2 - 3 persen sampai dengan Desember 2008.
    
Dalam konferensi internasional tersebut, kata Thamrin, ada hasil-hasil penting yang perlu ditindaklanjuti oleh Indonesia yaitu bahwa pembangunan pariwista hendaknya dilihat secara seimbang dari dua sisi yaitu optimalisasi dampak positif pariwisata dengan peningkatan jumlah kunjungan wisatawan asing dan wisatawan domestik, serta meminimalisir bahkan mereduksi dampak negatif pariwisata misalnya menyiapkan program antisipasi dampak pemanasan global dari sektor pariwisata.
 
Selanjutnya, kendatipun pariwisata dunia diperkirakan akan mengalami krisis sebagai akibat berlanjutnya krisis keuangan dunia, lanjut Thamrin, namun agenda-agenda yang terkait dengan global warming dan pembangunan pariwisata yang berbasis pelibatan masyarakat harus tetap dilaksanakan. "Ini himbaun UN WTO kepada negara-negara anggotanya," katanya.

Kompas.com

Tourism future bright despite travel warning: Minister

The Minister of Tourism and Culture Jero Wacik expressed optimism Thursday that the future of Indonesia's tourism remained bright despite a number of countries issuing travel warnings following the recent execution of three terrorists.

The Indonesian Travel Market - TIME 2008 in Makassar successfully concluded

MAKASSAR - The Indonesian annual travel mart, Tourism Indonesia Mart&Expo (TIME) or 'Pasar Wisata Indonesia' is concluded today with total attendance of 104 buyers from 21 countries. The top five buyers consisted of Malaysia, Korea, India and Indonesia, Singapore, and the Netherlands. TIME 2008 also attracted 108 sellers from 16 provinces of Indonesia, which mostly come from Jakarta, South Sulawesi, Bali, North Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, Yogyakarta and East Kalimantan, and Papua.

Music and Dance

The famous performance in Padang is the tari piring or plate dance, in which dancers skillfully dance on pottery without hurting themselves.
Another dance is tari payung (umbrella dance) portray a young mans loving protection for his girlfriend.

The graceful Tari lilin (candle dance) is performed by girls who rhythmically juggle and ballance china saucers on which lighted candles are stuck and clicking ring castanets at the same time.

Another famous performance is Pencak silat (The minan form of martial art) that feared and admired all over Indonesia, Beside dance, Minangkabau culture is rich with traditional music performance, from intimate flute and vocal music through to large-scale drum ensembles. Music of Minangkabau feature gong chime ensembles are known locally as Talempang

Custom & Traditions

Antropologist however suggest the the Minang people probably arrived in west sumatra from the Malaysian peninsula some time between year 1000 and 2000 BC, but not much is known about the history of the region before the arrival of Islam in the 14th century AD.

West sumatra was probably under control of the Melayu Kingdom from Jambi on Sumatra's east coast between the 11th and 14th century. So many custom and traditio in Padang similiar to Malaysian.

Today Padang is growing city with its own airport and univercity but they still take Adat Minang with ancient matriarchal customs. The women own prosperty and the men leave home to seek their fame and fortune.

Padang The Gate Of Minangkabau

Padang on Sumatra's west coast is the island's third largest city with population of 800.000. It is the provincial capital of west sumatra and most of the product from this region is exported through Padang.

The major export articles are coal, rubber, coffee, spice, tobacco, rattan and tea.
Padang situated at the foot of Minangkabau highland, which is named after the original inhabitant of west sumatra, one of the two main ethnic groups on Sumatra.

The Minang people converted to Islam many centuries ago, and majority of the population today are Muslim. The name Padang means field and the city is located on the coastal plane between the Indian ocean and the Bukit Barisan Mountains.

According to the history, Dutch traders established a trading post at Padang about 1680. It was remain the same until the 19th century when to war against the traditional Adat Minangkabau (law) followers.

The Dutch entered the war and joined the traditional leader in 1821 when the Padri's controlled much of the highlands. The Benteng de Kock fort in Bukit Tinggi became the new main base for the Dutch and in 1837 they finally conquered Bonjol, the headquater of the Padri leader Imam Bonjol.
Padang was under British control during the Napoleon war from 1781 to 1819 when the Dutch again seized control. During world war II it was occupied by the Japanese before Sumatra became a part of the new Indonesian Republic.

Like other tropical location, Padang presents certain health risk to travellers from high temperature climate, but with minimal precautions is as safe and no threatening destination as any.

One common risk is heatstroke and dehydration: people should not exert themselves during the heat of midday.

Raflesia

Padang Day Tour

“ONE DAY TOUR”

PACKAGE 01: BUKITTINGGI & PAGARUYUNG PALACE TOUR (08-09 Hours)
In the morning, drive to Lake Singkarak & Pagaruyung Palace in Batusangkar. And then proceed to Bukittinggi to visit Sianok Canyon (Ngarai Sianok), Fort De Kock, Kinantan Zoo, Museum Puti Bungsu, Clock Tower (Jam Gadang), and shopping at Pasar Atas Bukittiggi. In the afternoon drive back to your hotel