TEMPO.CO, Mataram - The government of Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara, will hold "Southeast Asia Art Parade Tradition Mentaram Festival" as a preparation to welcome the 2015 ASEAN Economy Community.

The head of the Culture and Tourism Department of Mataram, H. Abdul Latif Nadjib, after holding a preparation meeting of the festival today, said the feast would be held on December 9-11, where at least five Souteast Asian countries will take part.

Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Sri Lanka along with several Australian states will join the festival. To involve other countries, the Mataram's Culture and Tourism Department continues to maintain communications through ASEAN Secretariat.

"The activity is expected to give positive impact against the economy and tourism community in this region," Abdul said in a statement.

The Mentaram Festival is the first held in Mataram, planned to become a permanent agenda of Mataram's tourism every year, [whether it is] in August or December.

"Since August and December are holiday seasons where domestic and foreign tourists' visits are at its highest level," Abdul said.

To carry out the festival, the Tourism Department also involves representatives from 33 provinces in Indonesia. Other than the parade, the Mentaram Festival is also chained with workshop activities of cultural attractions with interesting arts from each region performed in an open stage.

The activity is an implementation from Mataram City program as one of the 16th cities in Indonesia to become a part of MICE (meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition) program.

ANTARA NEWS | ELLA SYAFPUTRI