Success of the 2018 Bono Surfing Festival, Pelalawan Regency Government Prepares for Bono Global Tourism

News24xx.com -  The event of Nusantara Festival Bono Surfing tourism , which lasted for three days since November 22 until 24, 2018, was successfully to carried out and followed by professional surfers from both inside and outside the country.

Bono Surfing is the name of the event that given by the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, after the Bono nature tour became the Nusatara Tourism calendar. Previously the Regional Government (Pemda) of Pelalawan Regency promoted it under the name of Bekudo Bono.

The Deputy Regent of Pelalawan, H Zardewan MM said that the Pelalawan District Government had tried maximally to build the Ombak Bono tourist area, including to publishing to the international community.

Including supporting infrastructure, they also starting from the construction of road access, parking areas, to other supporting facilities in the area. 

However, to building of Bono tourism is not enough just by the Regional Government. The involvement of the Riau Provincial Government (Pemprov) and the Central Government through the Indonesian Ministry of Religion.

"Of course the Regional Government really needs support in the form of development in Bono tourism from the center and the regions. If it is only the Regional Government, it cannot be maximized," he said.

Head of Pelalawan District Youth and Sports Culture Office (Disbudparpora), Andi Yuliandri, explained that the series of Bono Surfing events in Teluk Meranti Village, Teluk Meranti Sub-District began on November 22, 2018, starting with a number of folk games that became local wisdom. Such as tops, stilts, clogs, gala games and other traditional games.

For the opening of this national tourism event, it was held on Friday (11/23/2018) ago. And on November 24, 2018, professional surfers both local and international, crammed the waves of the Kampar river.

Bono Wave is a worldwide natural tourist destination in Pelalawan Regency. The uniqueness of the Bono wave is able to trick surfers from all corners of the world. It is not uncommon for certain events in Teluk Meranti sub-district besides Bono Sirfing and Bekudo Bono, of course, always crowded with domestic and foreign tourists who want to try out the awesomeness of surfing on the Bono wave.

The uniqueness of the Bono wave turned out to be the main attraction. This made for the umpteenth time last year, Pelalawan Regent HM Harris received a national award for his achievements in building this region. The award was won by the number one person in Pelalawan District for his achievements in popularizing Bono tourism as the most popular surfing spot (Most Popular Surfing Spot).

Regent Harris said, appreciation was conveyed for the support and participation of the community and all relevant parties who had collaborated in delivering Bono as a popular nominee to get first place as the most popular surfing spot.

"This achievement is inseparable from the 7 strategic programs of the regional government through Pelalawan Eksotis which make Bono a national tourist destination in line with the central government's program towards Indonesia Emas 2045 and President Jokowi's Nawacita in accelerating economic growth through tourism as the largest foreign exchange earner," he said at that time.

Bono waves entered the area for the development of tourist sites in Pelalawan Regency, by the Regent HM. Harris. This is in line with the proposal of the Minister of Tourism, Arief Yahya once proposed the construction of Tourism Special Economic Zones (KEK) in Riau Province.

The Ministry of Tourism has targeted Riau Province to bring in 60,000 foreign tourists last year. The Riau Provincial Government has three festivals during 2017 in order to attract tourists to visit Riau, including this Bono Surfing or Bekudo Bono.

Head of Pelalawan District Disparbudpora, Andi Yuliandri once said, besides being a tourist icon of Riau Province, Bono in Teluk Meranti has also been designated as Riau Tourism Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

"Not without reason Bono became the Tourism SEZ because his HPL covers 600 hectares consisting of resorts, hotels, games, entertainment, deer breeding and so on," ?? said Andi Yuliandri.

By becoming a tourism icon of Riau and Riau Tourism SEZ, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism is committed to promoting Bekudo Bono Teluk Meranti Pelalawan abroad, as well as finding investors to develop the Teluk Meranti Bono area.
"Of course, in developing this Bono region we equate the concept with the center. Of course in the future we hope that the development of the Bono area in Teluk Meranti will continue to be carried out jointly, both from the Center, Riau Provincial Government and Pelalawan Regency Government," he hoped.

 

Prepare for Bono Worldwide

The district Government of Pelalawan continues to make various efforts to promote the Bono wave starting from within the country to foreign countries. Every chance the Bono wave remains a priority for the government to offer.

One way of promotion that carried out by the Pelalawan Regency government is to periodically hold arts and cultural events to add to the attractiveness of visitors.

Promotions are carried out every year where sea water rises to the mainland occurs during the months of November and December by holding Bono Surfing or Bekudo Bono.

 

The event also having number of activities with tourist icons such as displaying the arts and culture of the regencies / cities in Riau Province, then fishing competitions and of course surfing competitions with various categories, both local and national levels.

In addition, there is also a photography competition that is expected to produce exotic moments from beautiful and stunning Bono waves.

With all the efforts and efforts of the Regency Government in tourism promotion which in the end management of Bono wave tourism received recognition from the central government with the entry of Bono tourism into one of the tourist destinations that had priority of development and promotion throughout foreign countries.

"The event was to enliven Bono Surfing, presented people's entertainment and traditional game competitions, which began on November 23," said Pelalawan Disbudparpora Head Andi Yuliandri.

He added, during the Bono Surfing event it was filled with art and cultural performances from the community. "To fill the entertainment during the implementation of the event from the community displayed the game of the people and cultural arts performances," he said.