Number of int`l passengers up by 302 percent in Sam Ratulangi airport

Manado, N Sulawesi, June 21 (Antaranews Sulut) - The number of international passengers in Sam Ratulangi Airport here on Wednesday increased 302 percent.

"This is a good sign because the number of foreign tourist arrivals is quite high during this Eid Fitr holidays," Minggus Gandeguai, general manager of PT Angkasa Pura I`s Manado office, said here, Thursday.

In addition to foreign tourist arrivals, a number of North Sulawesi people also visited Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and other countries.

The number of international passengers at the airport on June 20, 2018, or four days after Eid Fitr Islamic festivity, reached 567 people, or up 302 percent from 141 people during the same period in the previous year.

"The Sam Ratulangi international airport is open 24 hours a day and ready to serve passengers using domestic as well as international flights, including a charter flight serving Manado-China," he said.

Meanwhile, North Sulawesi has set a target to attract 120 thousand foreign tourists in 2018 for which it has intensified tourism promotion and infrastructure development activities to support its ambition.

Tourism industry has become a pillar of the province`s economy, as it has contributed significantly to supporting the local economic growth in Manado.

North Sulawesi Governor Olly Dondokambey expressed belief that the tourism industry holds potential to boost the province`s economic growth.

"We will continue to develop the tourism industry, which is a driving force of the regional economy," he noted recently.

Nearly 100 thousand foreign tourists had visited North Sulawesi in 2017, while the number of domestic tourists reached 169,523.

In the first quarter of 2018, some 29,413 foreign tourists had visited North Sulawesi, up from 17,941 in the same period last year.

During the first four months of 2018, tourist arrivals in the city had increased by 500 thousand, Head of the Marketing Department of the Manado Tourism Office Abdiel Badjen remarked in Manado last May.

reported by Nancy Linda Tigauw (f001/O001 )

(T.SYS/A/F001/A/O001) 21-06-2018 09:56:33