JAKARTA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has forecast over 5,000 runners from foreign countries and domestic will take part in the Bintan International Marathon in the country this year, a senior government official disclosed here on Thursday evening.
The committee will also give opportunity to foreign tourists to participate in the charity run which covers 10kms.
"The committee has targeted 4,000 runners from foreign countries and 1,000 others from domestic," senior official at the Indonesian tourism ministry I Gde Pitana said.
The Bintan International Marathon 2018 is scheduled to be held in Bintan beach international resort of Kepulauan Riau province on July 15.
The event, which will start and finish in Plaza Lagoi of Lagoi Bay for about eight hours, is expected to generate more foreign tourist arrivals in the country and promote some tourism destination, it said.
"We hope this event will lure more foreign holidaymakers significantly, especially to the Bintan Island," said Pitana.
Indonesia expects the number of foreign tourist arrivals to expand by 2 million to 17 million this year, according to the tourism ministry.
