08 juni 2010 07:01

Garuda ready to support Sail Banda 2010

Ambon, Indonesia - National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is ready to help make the upcoming international marine event of Sail Banda 2010 a success, a spokesman said.

Ambon branch manager of PT Garuda Indonesia Hendra Sumarno said here on Saturday the airline company`s board of directors would do its best to support the success of the international marine event in Maluku.

"We have yet to decide whether or not the Garuda flight frequency to Ambon will be increased but one thing is certain, we want to help make Sail Banda 2010 a success," Sumarno said.

Garuda on June 3 resumed regular flights from Jakarta to Ambon with a stopover at Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

"At the preliminary stage, we will stage various exhibitions during Sail Banda, and thereby Garuda will play its role in helping to make the event a success," Sumarno added.

Garuda was currently tranforming its business in the eastern parts of Indonesia by reopening its routes to a number of areas in East Indonesia which have adequate economic potentials.

Before reopening its Ambon route, Garuda also began serving a route again to Ternate, North Maluku via Sam Ratulangi airport in Manado, North Sulawesi.

In the near future, the national flag carrier will reopen its route to Gorontalo and other regions in East Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Maluku branch manager of Travel Agents Association (Asita), Tonny Tomasoa, said Garuda`s new Jakarta-Ambon route which startged on June 3 would improve the image of Maluku in international eyes.

"The reopening of Garuda`s Jakarta-Ambon route will convince the international community, especially Sail Banda participants and guests, that Maluku is now absolutely safe and conducive for visitors after being torn by a three-year sectarian conflict from 1999-2002," Tomasoa said.

Therefore, he said, Asita Maluku had prepared a number of marine tourism objects, historical and cultural sites, agrotourism in Ambon, Banda, and Saparua which are easily accessible by tourists.(*)

Source: http://www.antara.co.id
Picture: http://callbowo.wordpress.com

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