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COORDINATING Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said Manado-Likupang and Bangka-Belitung have the potential to become tourism gateways to the northern part of Indonesia following the completion of discussions on the National Tourism Destinations Master Plans for Manado-Likupang and Bangka-Belitung.
Luhut at the Coordinating Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta, Tuesday (3/29), said the two destinations could be developed into sustainable and high value-added destinations with a target of high spender tourists, both domestic and foreign.
“The target for high spender tourists will have a higher impact on tourism income. In order to optimize this potential, Luhut emphasized that adequate accessibility, amenities that meet standards, attractive attractions, and other tourism service facilities must be available,” he said.
He explained, in line with all of that, investment support is also important for financing the development of these facilities.
“A well-prepared Master Plan contains all of these aspects, along with an integrated tourism development plan between destinations, infrastructure, environmental sustainability, regional spatial planning and investment potential,” he stated.
Luhut added that the Master Plan must be able to map out the potentials that require investment so that they are easier to offer to investors.
Therefore, he believes that the Master Plan that has been prepared has taken into account sustainable aspects such as a blue, green, and circular economy to support inclusiveness.
“Of course, this will be an added value for tourism and a good investment promotion point that is in line with the increasingly rapid green-investing,” he remarked.
In addition, Luhut continued, the Master Plan must also serve as a guide for planning the direction of tourism development, infrastructure development, utilization of forestry and maritime natural resources, and mapping of human resource needs, from now until the next 25 years. If executed properly, the realization of this Master Plan will have a broad impact on the welfare of the community.
“Starting from employment, increasing demand for SME/IKM/Artisan products to the potential for increasing business in the field of tourism services,” he said.
Furthermore, Luhut explained that the benefits of the two designed documents could actually be a reference for all parties to accelerate development in National Tourism Destinations.
So, the document must be a guide for anyone who will develop a tourism destination, be it the government sector, the private sector, academia, to the whole community.
“I hope this document can be realized soon. All relevant central and regional apparatuses to work seriously. Realize it with passion and in detail. The big concept has been developed by the consultant, it’s time for details and implementation to be our responsibility,” he said.
Luhut also asked all parties in the government to be able to first resolve all existing obstacles, especially land barriers that often interfere with development plans.
“Let’s make Manado-Likupang and Bangka-Belitung tourist destinations that are inclusive, competitive and able to provide sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits. I entrust it to the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy to further promote the campaign #BanggaBerwisatadiIndonesiaAja more massively,” he concluded. [traveltext.id]
