Ambon, Maluku - Miss Tourism Indonesia 2009 Andra Rainy Ayudini said she would promote Maluku’s tourism potentials to foreign tourists.
"As Miss Tourism , I have a responsibility to Indonesia, especially Maluku province as a tourism destination. I will introduce Maluku to both domestic and foreign tourists," Andra said at a ceremony to welcome Sail Banda 2010 participants here on Tuesday night.
According to her, Maluku, especially Ambon city, was prepared to be a tourism destination in the country because it had natural beauty, interesting culture and traditions, and tourism potential worth seeing.
"Marine and natural tourism with various cultural heritages can be presented in an attractive package and supported by infrastructure, accommodation, and adequate land and air transportation," Andra said.
Although bearing the title of Indonesian Tourism Lady 2009, Andra admitted that it was her first to visit Ambon but she was stunned with its natural beauty of sea, hills, and valleys. She said that early last year she joined a team of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry in the visit to the Netherlands to promote Indonesia and Maluku.
"At the time we promoted Maluku, Dutch people showed profound enthusiasm to visit the province to obtain first-hand information on the latest developments," Andra said.
She was of the opinion that national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia’s Amsterdam-Jakarta-Ambon route would facilitate European tourists, especially from the Netherlands, to visit Maluku in the future. The first foreign power to set foot in Maluku was Portugal, followed by the Dutch.
In 1605, the Dutch succeeded in forcing the Portuguese to hand over its defense territory in Ambon to Steven van der Hagen and in Tidore to Cornelius Sebastian. The Dutch destroyed British forts in Kambelo and Seram Island. Gradually, the Dutch gained control over all of Maluku.
The Dutch position became stronger and stronger, along with the establishment of VOC in 1602. Consequently, the Dutch ruled Maluku ever since. Under the authority of Jan Pieterszoon Coen, acting as the chief of operations of VOC. The clove trade activities were fully controlled by VOC.
Source: http://english.kompas.com
