A successful novel turned movie has provided the impetus for a small island to step out of its tin-mining past and discover the other treasures it has.

A hidden gem in the east coast of Sumatra, Belitung is striving to gain recognition as a tourist destination for regional and international travellers.

Part of the Bangka-Belitung Province, Belitung was home to a thriving tin mining industry in the 1970s, but the economy took a turn in the late 1990s when the state-owned Timah Industri moved its tin operations to the much bigger neighbouring island of Bangka.

It was not until Andrea Hirata’s novel Laskar Pelangi (English: The Rainbow Troops) – set in the author’s hometown in Belitung’s Gantong Village following the demise of the local tin mining industry – was adapted into a successful movie in 2008 that Belitung started attracting Indonesian and expatriate visitors and the locals had their eyes opened to the island’s tourism potential.

The destination came to be dubbed Bumi Laskar Pelangi (Land of the Rainbow Troops) and the Andrea Hirata Words Museum was built on the film site in Gantong Village in 2010.

Lending Belitung its tremendous potential for tourism are several sites that stand testament to the island’s unique history and natural biodiversity, according to Budi Setiawan, director of Belitung Adventure Tours and Tourism Destination Board.

Around Tanjung Kelayang in the north, natural granite formations can be found on land and in the ocean – sometimes hundreds of metres deep – while remnants of sunken ships that sailed from China, Arabia and Europe centuries ago lie in the southern islands of Belitung.

“The fact that these ships brought valuable goods such as porcelain of Tang, Ming, Song and other Chinese dynasties has made the area an historic underwater archaeological site,” said Budi.

Another highlight is the tarsier, an endangered species of small primates found in Belitung’s rainforests.

“The locals used to take (the tarsiers) for granted and chased them out of their gardens. Only when tourists started travelling from far away to see them did the locals get reminded of their value,” said Budi, who also heads the Belitung Environment Concern Group.

Budi posits that community-based tourism is the way forward for Belitung, but admits that adjusting to a service-oriented industry like tourism will take time for the locals.

Local engagement is thus key to ensuring the sustainable development of both tourism and livelihoods.

“The locals know the forest and mangrove areas best; they are divers by nature and they are proud of their homeland,” said Budi. “In the past, some of them were pirates; some bombed corals to sell. We trained them to become guides. The dive guides, for example, are certified now.”

As part of conservation projects, Budi runs educational tours for travellers, corporate groups and students. Activities available include island hopping, trekking, diving, river tubing, tarsier watching, coral planting and adoptions, turtle release and mangrove touring.

Meanwhile, there are plans to develop Leebong Island – a 37ha isle three kilometres off Belitung’s coast – with an eco-friendly approach. Yudianto, owner of Belitung Happy Tour, the sister company of Leebong Island management, said: “We will build a limited number of accommodation and recreational facilities. Currently, we are in the first phase of development and one out of five bungalows and the restaurant is ready.”

Also underway are plans by the Bangka Belitung government to expand the runway from 2,225m to 2,550m at the H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin Airport in Tanjung Pandan, the capital of Belitung.

Arief Yahya, Indonesian minister of tourism, commented: “Airport development is crucial if Belitung wants its tourism to grow.”

In September last year, Indonesian president Joko Widodo inaugurated Tanjung Batu Seaport. Tanjung Kelayang has been named one of the 10 special economic zones to be developed and promoted by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism.

Apart from hotels, a port for yachts will be built at Tanjung Kelayang. The whole project is expected to finalise in five years.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, March 4, 2016 issue, on page 32. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

The new crop of travel trade shows in northern Thailand gives second-tier destinations like Chiang Mai a chance to shine.

With international arrivals reaching just under 30 million in 2015, a figure that was barely conceivable just a few years ago, Thailand’s tourism experts are now projecting 32 million arrivals this year. A bigger target, however, also brings with it the inevitable question of how to cope with the ever-increasing arrival numbers and manage tourism in a more sustainable way.

It is with the aim of diversifying market sources and spreading tourist footfalls beyond the key destinations of Bangkok and Phuket that the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) finally turns its attention to Chiang Mai, which will be the host destination of Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) this year.

“This is a good opportunity for Chiang Mai,” said Juthaporn Rerngronasa, TAT’s deputy governor for international marketing Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas. “Chiang Mai is ready to host major events, as it has a new convention centre and many boutique hotels. It is also the closest Thai city to the Greater Mekong Subregion countries.”

With the exception of one year when TTM+ was held in Pattaya, 13 of the past 14 editions had been held in the Thai capital since the show’s launch in 2001. This year’s show will be held at Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre from June 8-10 under the theme, Smile with Us.

The novelty of Chiang Mai as a new event destination is also a strong drawcard for TTM+, claimed Juthaporn, with this year’s edition netting a stronger reception from buyers than previous years. As of February 11, there were 321 buyers and 305 sellers, marking the highest numbers for the show since its inauguration, according to officials.

Although Chiang Mai has in recent years acquired a glowing shine among mainland Chinese travellers following the success of the Chinese movie Lost in Thailand, Juthaporn admits that the city has yet to attain similar level of interest from other international markets like Europe.

TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said in a press statement: “The level of interest is also a very good indicator of the growing interest in Chiang Mai and the Northern Thailand region. Traditionally, the travel trade has featured the beach resorts of South Thailand in their programmes. Clearly, that will now change and help us meet one of our major objectives of shifting the location, which is to better balance the distribution of visitors all around the country and reduce congestion at the popular tourist spots.”

In February, PATA Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart was held in Chiang Rai, the northernmost province in Thailand, reflecting the association’s strategic “dispersal of tourists” move, said PATA CEO Mario Hardy.

“Chiang Rai is one of these destinations that has great potential,” he said. “I’m really pleased to know that the regions of Thailand are developing the MICE market; it’s a great way to get these destinations to be known by a larger number of people. It will boost their profile and hopefully encourage other event organisers to consider them in the future.”

However, with the proliferation of trade shows the likes of ASEAN Tourism Forum and ITB Asia in the region, in addition to other Mekong countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia launching their own tourism fairs, it remains to be seen if these events in northern Thailand will spark greater interest in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai as travel destinations.

Trade members have also constantly urged the development of more domestic air links such as Chiang Mai-Phuket and Chiang Mai-Hua Hin, which will allow travellers to bypass Bangkok and pair the northern cultural cities with the beach destinations in the south.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, March 4, 2016 issue, on page 4. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.