Government To Focus On Developing 10 Tourism Sites

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The government will focus on developing 10 out of 222 tourism sites, which are located in the National Tourism Development Zones (KPPN), to boost tourist arrivals that are expected to reach 20 million people per year by 2019.

These 10 tourism sites will be considered the main focus of development as they have the potential to increase tourist traffic, the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister, Rizal Ramli said after attending a meeting on tourism infrastructure development on Monday.

"We decided to focus on these 10 tourism sites, as they have the potential to increase the number of tourists the most," Ramli stated.

The 10 tourism sites are Lake Toba (in North Sumatra), Kepulauan Seribu (Jakarta), Mount Bromo (East Java), Labuan Bajo (East Nusa Tenggara), Mandalika (West Nusa Tenggara), Morotai (Maluku), Yogyakarta, Wakatobi (Southeast Sulawesi), Belitung (Bangka Belitung), and Tanjung Lesung (Banten).

Ramli pointed out that a certain budget would be required by the Transportation Ministry, and Public Works and Public Housing Ministry to develop the 10 tourism sites.

"The budget to build an airport and port will be allocated to the Transportation Ministry, and another budget is being developed for the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, so it is necessary for them to coordinate," Ramli remarked.

Meanwhile, Public Works and Public Housing Minister, Basuki Hadimuljono confirmed that the tourism development would include road construction, and provision for drinking water.

"The ongoing project will cost Rp426 billion," Hadimuljono told journalists.

Tourism Minister, Arief Yahya revealed that the development of the 10 tourism sites would be decided, based on the priorities of the Transportation Ministry and the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry.

"We will develop all tourism sites, but we will prioritize in terms of time. These are first 10 sites to be developed in 2015, another 10 sites will be chosen for development in the future," Yahya added.(WDY)