Tanjungpinang City Government Prepares Strategy to Encourage Foreign Tourists to Stay and Shop

Tanjungpinang (ANTARA) - The Tanjungpinang City Government in Kepulauan Riau is preparing strategies to ensure that foreign tourists entering through Batam do not merely stop over but also stay overnight and shop in the area. Head of the Culture and Tourism Office (Disbudpar) of Tanjungpinang, Muhammad Nazri, stated that Batam has long been the main entry point for foreign tourists from various countries, but this opportunity has not yet fully benefited Tanjungpinang’s economy. “Most foreign tourists only make short trips. Therefore, we will develop integrated tourism packages connecting destinations in Batam, Tanjungpinang, and Bintan so that foreign tourists stop over and stay here,” Nazri said in Tanjungpinang on Sunday. He explained that this effort is being prepared by the Tanjungpinang Disbudpar ahead of the school holiday season in neighbouring Malaysia, which is expected to increase foreign tourist visits to Kepri, particularly to Pulau Penyengat as a premier historic and cultural tourism destination. “With the creation of integrated tourism packages, there will be tourists who stay in Tanjungpinang, at least one night,” he said. Nazri stated that increasing the length of stay for tourists will directly impact the local economy, from hotels, restaurants, transportation to micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM) in tourist areas. In addition to preparing tourism package strategies, the Tanjungpinang Disbudpar is also continuously improving the quality of tourism services on Pulau Penyengat to welcome the surge in visits during the neighbouring country’s school holidays.