SHAH ALAM, July 9 — The state government plans to boost bilateral cooperation with Bandung’s tourism players by organising music festivals, concerts, and medical tourism initiatives to draw more Indonesians to Selangor.
State executive councillor for local government and tourism Dato’ Ng Suee Lim said his office and Tourism Selangor will work with Bandung tourism authorities to promote the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) in the Indonesian city.
He added that Selangor will hold a medical tourism exhibit and offer various health packages and services to attract Indonesian travellers.
“This mission, we undertook various visits, including to the Bandung tourism office and guesting on local radio station Arden, and holding opinion exchanges with the local government to understand each other’s tourism advantages,” Suee Lim told Media Selangor.
He said Bandung, the capital of West Java with a population of over 2.4 million, has become the centre of Selangor’s meetings with Indonesian local governments to promote the state’s tourism features and discuss future cooperation and promotions.
“Bandung’s tourism leaders introduced (us to) local unique (characteristics), including how Bandung is often the location for music festivals and concerts, to the point it is known as the ‘birthplace’ of many buskers (who become) singers renowned in Indonesia,” he said.
Suee Lim added that Bandung and Selangor also discussed potential promotional collaborations in the future, including in organising concerts and music festivals featuring Indonesian and Malaysian artistes who could draw Indonesian youth to visit Selangor.
He also said he promoted Selangor’s medical tourism while guesting on an interview aired on Arden radio.
“Indonesia is a major source of medical tourism for our country, so we must ramp up efforts to promote medical tourism.
“Seeing as Arden is the number one ratio station among youth in Bandung, I am taking the opportunity to introduce Selangor’s durian culture, large-scale future concerts, and outdoor activities suited for youth,” Suee Lim added.
Previously, state executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility Ng Sze Han said SIBS is being held overseas, with SIBS@ASEAN being held in Bandung today and tomorrow.
He said the event, which features Selangor small and medium enterprises (SMEs), aims to help them expand their market reach.
“It also centres Selangor’s efforts to reduce its dependence on single markets and supply chains, thus strengthening economic resilience and development diversity.
“This spin-off event in Bandung is more focused on forums that emphasise meetings between both countries’ governments and enterprises, not large-scale conferences,” Sze Han said.
