Preparations are now ripe for the highly awaited Tomohon International Flower Festival to be held August 8 to 12, 2015 in the city of Tomohon, North Sulawesi.

Known as the city of flowers, Tomohon will again host the annual flower festival in its effort to attract as many domestic and foreign tourists as possible.

Therefore, preparations have been ripe for this international event that will be attended by guests from numerous countries, as well as provincial and district governments.

"All stakeholders in North Sulawesi has done a good coordination by creating a safe and comfortable atmosphere for festival participants and tourists who will come to watch the event," Tomohon regional secretary Arnold Poli said in the city on Tuesday.

He noted that the local community has also been prepared to support the security forces and local authorities to create safe and peaceful atmosphere during the festival.

Arnold remarked that numerous countries including the United States, France, the Philippines, New Zealand, India, and Malaysia will participate in the 5th Tomohon International Flower Festival this year.

"Having been started since 2008, the annual flower festival this year is expected to have a great positive impact on the welfare of Tomohon city dwellers, the flower growers, and the local tourism," he noted.

Launched at Kuta beach in the Indonesian island resort of Bali on July 24, the Tomohon International Flower Festival will positively contribute to develop national tourism, improve public welfare, and boost the image of the nation as a tourism destination.

"This launch is truly remarkable as it reflects the success of the TIFF. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism has highly lauded the Tomohon city government for organizing such a festival on five occasions," stated Syamsul Lussa, an expert on marine tourism who is part of the tourism ministers staff in Kuta.

Lussa expressed hope that Tomohon city in North Sulawesi could become the second Pasadena, and its floral beauty can attract tourists.

"The local government laid the foundation eight years ago. We can now begin to move towards transforming Tomohon into the second Pasadena," Lussa remarked.

Pasadena, a city in California, is known for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and the Tournament of Roses Parade, the biggest parade of floats of flowers, in a bid to attract tourists.

According to Lussa, the efforts to draw tourists to Tomohon city should not solely focus on culture but should also include other aspects.

"Indonesia ranked first in terms of cultural and natural attractions, and today, we are coming up with new ways to attract tourists using flowers," he affirmed.

Moreover, the tourism ministers expert staff stated that the support of different ministries and the local government is vital to achieve success in transforming an area into a tourist attraction.

He revealed that the coordination forum of regional leaders has lent its strong support to organizing the festival.

"There are legislators who support the legality of the regulations, and now, the tourism potential must be packaged in a manner that can attract tourists," he pointed out.

Lussa further noted that the Ministry of Tourism is responsible for promoting the existing tourism potential across the country.

"We hope the Tomohon International Flower Festival is a success," he remarked.

In the meantime, Mayor of Tomohon Jimmy F. Eman noted that the local administration has made every effort to make Tomohon one of the tourist destinations in Indonesia for improving the peoples welfare.

According to Eman, the success of the festival cannot be separated from the role of the people of Tomohon who continually strive to create a safe and comfortable atmosphere.

"This annual international flower festival is always packaged to optimally support national tourism and to attract as many foreign tourists as possible," Eman said in Bali over the weekend.

He further pointed out that four events have been planned to support the success of the TIFF in North Sulawesi.

"This international flower festival is the main event organized by the Tomohon city administration. It is a biennial festival that was first held in 2008," Eman stated.

The four supporting events of the festival are the Tournament of Flowers, Flower Queen Pageant, Nusantara Arts and Cultural Performances, and the Trade, Investment, Floriculture and Tourism Fair, he revealed.

The mayor further noted that the Tournament of Flowers will feature a parade of floats, followed by the representatives of friendly countries, provincial and district governments, national and regional enterprises, and private institutions and companies.

He added that the floats will be decorated by trained and experienced local professionals.

"The flowers to be used in the festival will be grown by the local farmers," he stated

Eman explained that the Flower Queen Pageant aims at capturing the interests and showcasing the talents of the best sons and daughters of Indonesia and at improving their awareness and encouraging their love for flowers.

Hotels, restaurants, lodging providers, transportation operators, tour guides, and the managers of tourist sites will be able to generate profits when tourists visit the city of 101 thousand inhabitants.

"This is the positive side of a large important event held regularly such as the festival as its dual impact will be felt particularly in the tourism sector," the mayor of Tomohon affirmed.

Eman noted that not only the tour players, but also the flower growers will benefit from the international flower festival when the event is included in the annual calendar of the department of tourism.

He expressed hope that the international flower festival in Tomohon would boost foreign tourist arrivals, as it is believed to have a positive impact on the regional revenue and the economic cycle

Source: ANTARA