PUTUSSIBAU - Dozens of national and international tourism practitioners and activists - comprising ecotourism organizations, operators, travel agents, community groups and government - met in Putussibau on Friday (16/9) to strengthen networking in the development, promotion and marketing of ecotourism, particularly ecotourism in the Heart of Borneo (HoB) region.

The International Ecotourism Network Meeting which will run until Sunday (18/9) is mainly held in Kapuas Hulu Regency. The series of events includes an opening and business meeting in Pontianak (15/9) including visits to some of the city's tourist destinations, where participants were received by the Pontianak City Government, followed by a networking workshop in Putussibau (16/9), as well as discussions and a field trip to the Danau Sentarum area.

Lake Sentarum is one of the pilot ecotourism destinations already operating in the HoB region, an area that covers the area of three countries namely Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam and is known as the oldest tropical rainforest area in the world and plays an important role as a source of economic, social and cultural life. The Kapuas Hulu District Government through the Kapuas Hulu District Spatial Plan (RTRWK) 2014-2034 also puts tourism development into special attention.

In the speech of the Regent of Kapuas Hulu read by the Regional Secretary, Muhammad Sukri, it was stated that the Kapuas Hulu District Government is committed to making tourism one of the mainstays of development, one of which is by making Lake Sentarum a District Strategic Area (KSK) for tourism development as stipulated in the Kapuas Hulu RTRWK.

"Ecotourism, as we all know, is an industry that utilizes the beauty of the landscape and ecosystems in it to be enjoyed, as well as studied by tourists. On the other hand, ecotourism also emphasizes the involvement of surrounding communities, which will ultimately have a direct economic impact on them. In order to be able to utilize conservation areas as one of the regional development capitals, but still maintain the integrity of the area, the development of ecotourism is a relevant development strategy, "added Muhammad Sukri.

Currently, the tourism approach continues to develop. Ecotourism is the embodiment of the concept of sustainable tourism with the principles of environmentally friendly, community-friendly and tourist-friendly. Ecotourism has been developing since 20 years ago and continues to grow in Indonesia, including in West Kalimantan.

"Responsible tourism development or ecotourism is an approach that is considered capable of maintaining the HoB area as a source of life for the community, as well as capital in their economic and social development. The intensive series of workshops and meetings conducted so far - and most recently the Workshop on Green Eco-Tourism in North Kalimantan in early August 2016 - are laying the foundation for us to move towards the 2018 HoB Year of Visit program which will be launched during the 11th Trilateral meeting in Indonesia," said West Kalimantan Program Manager, Albertus Tjiu.
One of the national priority programs until 2019 is the management and development of tourist destinations. The Betung Kerihun area, Lake Sentarum and its surroundings in Kapuas Hulu Regency, have been designated as a National Tourism Destination (DPN).

Kapuas Hulu District through the Department of Culture and Tourism and assisted by several partners, namely the Betung Kerihun and Lake Sentarum National Park Center, WWF-Indonesia, GIZ Forclime, and KOMPAKH since 2005 has initiated itself to become a tourist destination, especially ecotourism. As a district that has biodiversity in almost half of its forest area and is supported by at least more than 20 different cultures (Dayak and Malay Kapuas Hulu), Kapuas Hulu is very feasible to become a tourist destination. The geographical position of Kapuas Hulu District as a state and provincial border area, makes its opportunities as a tourist destination even stronger.

The activity carried out to strengthen the ecotourism network in the Heart of Borneo was attended by 39 people who were national and international tourism practitioners and agents. For international followed by tourism agents from Sabah, Sarawak and Australia. In addition, this activity was also attended by several government representatives who have developed tourism intensively including the province and the center.

"This network meeting is actually an annual agenda for us tourism practitioners and activists in Indonesia, including West Kalimantan. This meeting is a medium to provide a complete picture of the tourism potential of Kapuas Hulu, so that input can be obtained according to current tourism trends and then we will also be involved in the promotion and marketing of ecotourism products in Kapuas Hulu Regency," said the Chairman of ASITA West Kalimantan, Nugroho Henray Ekasaputra.

In order to support the implementation of the development of the tourism sector in Kapuas Hulu Regency, the need to create a tourism climate through increasing community awareness and capacity as well as increasing tourist visits according to the capacity of Objects and Tourist Attractions (ODTW) through promotion and marketing networks is important.

"This international ecotourism network meeting is an effort to further introduce Kapuas Hulu's tourism potential to the outside world, especially tourism practitioners. Through this network meeting, it is also expected that there will be improvements in tourism development through inputs from developed locations and further strengthen the Kapuas Hulu tourism marketing network," said the Head of the Kapuas Hulu District Culture and Tourism Office, Antonius, as Chair of the Committee in his report.

The International Ecotourism Network Meeting was organized in collaboration with the Kapuas Hulu District Government, in this case the Culture and Tourism Office, the Betung Kerihun Danau Sentarum National Park (TNBKDS), the WWF-Indonesia Foundation, the Indonesian Ecotourism Network (Indecon), the Kapuas Hulu Tourism Community (KOMPAKH), TFCA Kalimantan, the Association of the Indonesian Tours & Travel Agencies (ASITA) West Kalimantan, the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) West Kalimantan, and the Pontianak City Government.

For more information, please contact:
Nugroho Henray Ekasaputra | Chairman of ASITA Kalbar
PHONE: +62 821 5954 0674 | Email: henray32@gmail.com

Hermas Rintik Maring | Environmental Services Coordinator, WWF-Indonesia West Kalimantan Program
PHONE: +62 852 4545 0852 | Email: hrmaring@wwf.id