This year Sail Belitong program is believed to be able to make Belitong as a tourist destination. Belitong as a third tourist destination after Bali and Nusa Tenggara, was raised for the first time by the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Indonesia Republic, Jero Wacik at the opening ceremony at Tanjungpendam at the end of 2008. “The process of the development underwater research center are in preparation,” said Hugua, Wakatobi Regent, in Wangi-wangi, Wakatobi, Thursday (4/12). Hugua mentioned, Wakatobi is viable to claim as an underwater real paradise at the center of the world’s coral triangle which includes six countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Island, and Timor Leste. Wakatobi National Park has 750 of 850 coral reefs species in the world. “From the three centers of the world class diving, Wakatobi is the most stunning. It has been recognized throughout the world. Carribean has only 50 species of coral reefs, while the Red Sea (Egypt) has 300 species of coral reefs,” explains Hugua. So far, the researchers from several countries come to Wakatobi to study about underwater biodiversity. In fact, in 2009, hundreds of world’s researchers held a meeting for a presentation about the study of underwater Wakatobi, as an early step, said Hugua, Regency Government of Wakatobi prepared a building on the Holga Island to be an wetland laboratorium in 2009. The energy resources will be developed from the water, wind, or sun energy. Veda Santiaji, the Project Leder Joint Program the Nature Conservancy-WWF for Wakatobi National Park, said that Wakatobi natural resources is enabled to be used as an extraordinary natural laboratory. WWF indentifies eight major natural resources in Wakatobi National Park. Natural resources in Wakatobi include coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, fish spawning areas, marine mammals, migratory birds, sea turtles nesting areas, and coastal fish. “However, the most importantly, the Government Regency of Wakatobi should be strict on the zoning areas that have been agreed,”said Veda. (ELN)(kompas.com) Credits: sailwakatobi-belitong2011.com Translated and rewritten in good news from indonesia by Ratna Suwendiyanti Edited by farah fitriani
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