Although Bali’s tourism restart may be in the spotlight, development in
Indonesia’s five super-priority destinations is ramping up to
accommodate increasing numbers of domestic visitors and to lure inbound
tourists.
Announced
in January 2020, the super-priority destinations are Lake Toba in North
Sumatra, the world’s largest volcanic crater lake; Borobudur in Central
Java, the world’s biggest Buddhist temple; Labuan Bajo in West Flores,
the gateway to Komodo National Park; Mandalika in Central Lombok, a
coastal resort area and special economic zone that recently hosted the
Indonesian MotoGP tournament; and Likupang in North Sulawesi, a
200-hectare stretch of white sand beaches fringed with world-class dive
sites.
On
a recent visit to Lake Toba, President Joko Widodo inaugurated multiple
infrastructure projects including seven ports, a highway and a beach
area. Meanwhile, a major toll road that will reduce travel time from
North Sumatra’s capital Medan to Lake Toba from 4.5 hours to 1.5 is due
for completion next year. Further, Toba’s first five-star hotel,
Marianna Resort, which is part of the Marclan International group, will
open its doors at the end of the year.
“I have seen major improvements here [in Lake Toba], so the tourism
minister can later proceed with the rebuilding and rebranding programme
that will set it apart from other tourist destinations. There is huge
potential on offer around Lake Toba,” said the President during his
visit, The Jakarta Post reported.
In Central Java, seven villages in the vicinity of the Borobudur
temple area are strengthening human resources and improving tourism
products for the full operation of a new integrated destination,
Borobudur Highlands. With investment of Rp 1.5 trillion (US$103.5
million) and a focus on adventure tourism, ecotourism and agrotourism,
the 309-hectare area is slated for completion at the end of 2022.
Although Borobudur has historically been the best known
internationally among the five super-priority destinations, Labuan Bajo
and the Komodo National Park are steadily gaining a reputation among
foreign travellers. The picturesque port town will host 12 side meetings
and five events as part of the G20 Summit in Bali in November. Several
of the events will be held at a new tourism centre, Waterfront City, due
for inauguration in June.
After the Mandalika MotoGP event in late March, which received over
60,000 attendees according to official figures, Indonesia’s tourism
ministry is now focusing on developing tourism villages across the West
Nusa Tenggara province more widely.
Last
but not least, Likupang is preparing a 25-year masterplan to reach 10
million visitors by 2045, with a focus on high-end domestic and foreign
travellers, which the tourism ministry has defined as those who spend
more than US$1,100 and stay over ten days.
To help fund new projects, Indonesia’s tourism minister, Sandiaga
Uno, recently met with 18 major foreign investors in an attempt to drum
up US$1.5 billion. “This is a direct instruction from the President: if
you want to build, you have to focus,” he said. “If these five
destinations have been prepared well this year, next year we will
expand.”