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THE INCREASING number of tourist visits to Pangkalpinang City, throughout 2022, is claimed to have a quite positive impact on revenue in the area. The increase of tens of thousands of tourists is able to boost Pangkalpinang City’s regional original income (PAD) to tens of billions of rupiah.
Pangkalpinang Mayor Maulan Aklil admitted that tourist visits in 2022 did show a positive trend. Tourist visits to Pangkalpinang City experienced a growth of 40.32% or 273,952 people. Consisting of 859 foreign tourists and 273,093 domestic tourists.
The number of visits increased by 78,885 people when compared to 2021 which was only 195,067 people. Even this increase is considered extraordinary during the COVID-19 pandemic situation.
“Our tourist visits increased dramatically from only 195,068 people in 2021 to many times more. This is extraordinary from so many to 273,952 people, the increase is extraordinary,” said Molen, Saturday (04/01), 2023.
Molen explained that the high number of tourist visits also had a positive impact on increasing PAD. This is because the occupancy rate of accommodation increased by 12.47%. The occupancy rate of accommodation in the form of hotels in 2021 was 21.59%, increasing to 34.06% in 2022.
“As a result, the realization of PAD from the tourism sector in 2022 will certainly increase by IDR32,866,588,069. Up about IDR88.4% or IDR15,417,561,058 from previously only IDR17,449,027,011. Our party is optimistic that in 2023 the tourism sector will show changes. This is in line with the addition of facilities at Pasir Padi Beach. Hopefully 2023 will continue to increase,” said Molen.
According to him, Pangkalpinang City must change for the better. Likewise, the Province of Bangka Belitung must have a spirit. At least as the provincial capital, Pangkalpinang can become a metropolis like other big cities in Indonesia.
Currently, his party is aggressively building a new icon for branding or introducing Pangkalpinang City to the outside world. The way is with the construction of the Tin Dome Grand Mosque which is currently still under construction next to GPIB Maranatha.
As a tin-producing area, Bangka Belitung should have its own icon which is realized in the form of a house of worship.
Not only mosques, in the future churches, temples and monasteries in Pangkalpinang City will be made with tin plating. This is to show that Bangka Belitung Province is a tin-producing area and has religious harmony.
“There is only one in the world. With the occurrence of a tin ornate house of worship, it will show religious harmony in our city. In time people will recognize that Bangka Belitung is a house of worship, tin religious harmony,” he explained.
Even so, said Molen, with the high achievement of regional original income (PAD), his party will optimize several activities in tourist destination areas such as Pasir Padi Beach. All activities will be focused on the area. With the hope of boosting the economy and the bottom line, namely micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs.
Not only that, Pangkalpinang is also being metamorphosed into an area with sports tourism or sports tourism. With the aim that many people are getting to know Pangkalpinang City. As a result, many tourists want to visit the area.
“We always direct the existing activities to Pasir Padi so that it becomes one of the tourism points, the new economy that exists. All MSMEs run, the sports industry can, the arts industry can also,” Molen concluded. [sources/photo special]
