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JATIM PARK Group (JPG) continues to develop Batu City, East Java, into a premier national tourist destination by introducing attractions that blend entertainment and education. Two major projects currently in the pipeline are the Mega Science Center and an Underwater Aquarium, with a combined investment value reaching approximately IDR220 billion.
Rio Imam Sendjojo, Director of Jatim Park Group, stated that the Mega Science Center will be one of the group’s latest developments; it is scheduled to open on September 16, 2026, with an investment exceeding IDR100 billion.
“Entertainment and education have always been our motto,” said Rio during the ‘Ngobrolin Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif’ (Ngoprek)—a discussion on tourism and the creative economy—titled “Safety Tourism, Sustainable Future: Building Safe, Educational, and Sustainable Tourism.” The event was organized by the Tourism and Creative Economy Journalists Forum in collaboration with Jatim Park Group at Jatim Park 3, Batu, Malang recently.
The Mega Science Center is designed as a learning space that invites visitors to explore various scientific fields, ranging from chemistry, physics, and biology to culture. Beyond featuring interactive exhibits, the facility will include a robotics area where visitors can observe robots capable of mimicking human behavior.
Meanwhile, at the same event, Jatim Park Group Marketing and PR Manager Titik S. Ariyanto revealed that the Mega Science Center would house around 600 interactive exhibits. This figure represents one of the largest collections in Asia, surpassing the 400 exhibits found in similar facilities in China. This distinction is expected to strengthen Jatim Park’s position as a destination for educational tourism.
The expansion does not stop there; Jatim Park Group is also preparing an Underwater Aquarium project targeted to open in 2028. This project will be developed in partnership with foreign investors, with an investment value of nearly IDR120 billion. Rio explained that constructing the Underwater Aquarium in Batu City presents unique challenges due to the area’s mountainous geography and its distance from the sea. Consequently, specialized water treatment and filtration systems, as well as a supply of seawater, are required to support the aquarium’s operations.
“Given our location in Batu—surrounded by mountains—we require water filtration systems that entail significant costs,” she explained.
In addition to these two projects, Jatim Park Group plans to develop a sports center within the Jatim Park 3 complex. This development is part of the company’s effort to boost the growth of sports tourism in Batu City.
Rio noted that these various developments aim not only to expand tourism options for the public but also to strengthen Batu City’s standing as a national tourism hub.
Furthermore, Jatim Park Group aspires to attract more international tourists, as their current numbers remain very low compared to domestic visitors. “We want to bring in more foreign tourists so that we can also contribute to the country’s foreign exchange earnings,” Rio added.
Developments centered on education, technology, conservation, culture, entertainment, and sports are expected to broaden Batu City’s appeal. The goal is to transform the city into more than just a family recreation spot; it aims to become a destination for educational and special-interest tourism capable of competing at both national and international levels. [traveltext.id]
