Flores Exotic Tours Creating Awareness in ITB Berlin

Flores Exotic Tours Creating Awareness in ITB Berlin

The travel trade world is centered in Germany this month for the ITB (International Tourism Exchange) Berlin. The founder of Flores Exotic Tours, Leonardus Nyoman shares his experience in attending the world’s leading travel show.

This year is the 3rd time for Flores Exotic Tours’ representative participating in ITB Berlin. As a travel agent, Leo – so he’s called - finds it crucial to attend the travel show. Through the event, he is able to promote Flores not only to European market, but worldwide.

Leading experts in tourism field company representatives from 180 countries will crowd Messe Berlin from 6-10 March 2013. . Topical debate, interactive seminars, and presentations are available during the five-day event. As a result, participants will be able to get new ideas and see the trends on tourism development, management and marketing strategies – a goal Leo has in mind to grow his business.
He notes the most significant thing individual participants and exhibiting companies need to do is strengthening their business networks by getting into profitable partnership deals with industry peers. And in ITB the networking can be done through ITB Virtual Market Place - a special online feature provided to search and establish contacts with the right persons or companies’ representatives during the event.

ITB Berlin is definitely one of the great opportunities to promote Flores to the world. Leo uses the platform to spread information about Flores’ nature, culture, and traditional tribe to the global market. It is also the right place to create awareness by distributing Flores’ marketing materials such as brochure, booklet, video, and picture slides to targeted partners and clients.

All in all, Leonardus hopes to build new partnerships with more contacts and companies in ITB Berlin this year. He also wishes that his presence in the travel show strengthen the awareness about Flores among the travel industry throughout Indonesia and around the globe. As a result, the numbers of visitor to Flores will increase and in turn help Flores to become a more developed destination.

Article and images by Leonardus Nyoman.
Contact:
Flores Exotic Tours
Jalan Kakatua 8, Ruteng 86511
Flores, NTT, Indonesia 
www.floresexotictours.com (English)
www.komododragontours.com (German)
Skype: leonardus.nyoman
Mobile : +628123662110

http://www.florestourism.com/news/flores-exotic-tours-creating-awareness-itb-berlin

Sumba island – East Nusa Tenggara – Indonesia

Powerful Surf, living megalithic culture and fine ikat cloths

 

Facing the wide Indian Ocean, the island of Sumba in the province of East Nusatenggara is a surfer’s paradise. The large rolling Sumba barrels usually appear between May through October when waves can be either very high and strong or very flat as breaks are directly exposed to wide open ocean swells. This kind of powerful surf, however, though very challenging, should only be ventured by professionals. However, throughout the year, swells rise from 3 to 6 feet.

Although as yet little known on the tourist map, surprisingly the island of Sumba has a number luxurious, well frequented resorts. The Nihiwatu Resort, for example, describes itself as “the ultimate in privacy, exclusivity, views and romance”, and has been awarded Indonesia’s 2nd best hotel by Tripadvisor. Additionally there is the Sumba Nautil Resort both in the south west of Sumba, another favourite with surfers.  

Located between the islands of Komodo and Sumbawa, Sumba has two distinct climates. Its western part receives more rain, is more fertile and therefore has more inhabitants, whilst its eastern part is mountainous with grassy plateaus and valleys. Here is Sumba’s highest peak, the Wangga Meti rising 1,225 meters above sea level. . Capital of west Sumba is Waikabubak with its airport at Tambolaka, while the island’s largest town of Waingapu  in East Sumba.  In between are mostly villages where communities still adhere to the ancient belief of Marapu or ancestor worship of the megalithic era. Here you will find large, well carved megalithic tombs. Traditional clan houses are round with peaked thick thatched roofs resembling wide sunhats.   West Sumba plants rice, while East Sumba is famous for its water buffaloes and ikat weaving. Sumba raises Indonesia’s best horses.   

West Sumba 

The western part of Sumba has plenty to offer tourists who dare to venture into off-the-beaten- track destinations.  Here can be seen traditional villages, stone megalithic tombs even around West Sumba’s capital of Waikabubak, and watch rituals following the ancient belief of the islanders.The center of rituals Is the village of Tarung, a small remote hamlet west of Waikabubak, which the Sumbanese believe is their spiritual center.  It is the high priest of Tarung who officiates at the yearly Wula Padu ceremony honoring the deified ancestors at the start of the Marapu newyear at the arrival of the rainy season. The Festival is held around October or November. 

Once a year the exciting Pasola jousting festivals, the culmination of a series of fertility rituals are held on separate days at different locations on the island. Hundreds of warriors on horses charge into each other riding bareback, hurling spears. This festival, usually held between February and March, and is believed to bring fertility to the land.     

The world has come to know West Sumba closer since the opening of the Nihiwatu Resort in the southwest of the island, some 1.5 hours from Waikabubak. This resort is known for its exceptional surf and beautifully inspiring surroundings.  Surfing is best at the Kerewe, Marosi and Dasang beaches facing south where there are premier lefts and large double overhead surf.

East Sumba

Waingapu on the northern eastern coast of Sumba is the largest town and its seaport.

Around two kilometers from Waingapu is the traditional village of Prailiu, and some 10 km. away is the village of Kwangu, while 6 km from the city is the village of Labanapu, all three are famous for their exquisite ikat weaving. Women of Sumba produce some exemplary hand woven cloth with motifs of stylized horses, animals and people, in dark blue, red and black, white and yellow natural dyes.  Here visitors can watch the entire intricate and tedious process of ikat weaving. Look for the unique cloths with sewn in seashells.

Best surf in the east is on Manggudu island, which has both left and long right waves.

Text by: www.indonesia.travel

Photo by: Leonardus Nyoman