Gibran Rakabuming Makes A Breakthrough, Wants To Make A Mayor's Cup Followed By Big Teams Like The Menpora Cup

Inauguration of the Solo City Tourism Promotion Board. (Aris Wasita/Antara)

JAKARTA - Solo City will develop the sports sector to encourage tourism after the COVID-19 epidemic by utilizing various existing vehicles.

"Sports tourism is a priority, besides wellness tourism (fitness tourism)," said Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka after the inauguration of the Solo City Tourism Promotion Agency in Solo, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, May 19.

He said that currently there are many sports venues or rides in Solo. In fact, recently the city was quite successful in holding the Menpora Cup. Related to this, his party said that in the future there will be continued to be encouraged to hold a similar event.

"I also want the Mayor's Cup later, this will be done before the implementation of league one and league two. Like the Menpora Cup which is also attended by big teams," he said.

Even so, he was still reluctant to convey the details of the event. "Yes, this is just a pre-league," he said.

He hopes that these various events can make tourists want to stay longer in Solo. He admitted that the low average stay of tourists in Solo is still homework, including for the Solo City Tourism Promotion Board.

"So far, we only stop by for food, then stay overnight in Jogja, in the future it can't be like that, we make sure people feel at home staying in Solo, this will be homework in the future," he said.

On the same occasion, the Chairman of the Solo City Tourism Promotion Agency Retno Wulandari said that currently, the organization has compiled various priority work programs for the next four years.

"Our 'starting point' is tourism in the middle of the pandemic, this is a challenge. There is a change in consumer behavior, especially tourism when going on vacation to Solo and this must be responded to. Provide a place that must be equipped with CHSE (cleanliness, health, security, and environmental sustainability), it must be echoed," he said.

He said, the Tourism Promotion Board will also work on collaborative, innovative, creative, adaptative, entrepreneurial matters by involving various stakeholders together to build a positive narrative about Solo tourism.