50-seater planes will land on Thousand Islands<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
To attract a larger number of tourists to the resorts on
\nKepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) regency, the city
\nadministration is repairing and developing an airstrip on Panjang
\nisle, the construction of which will start next year.<\/p>\n
Regent Djoko Ramadhan said investors from Saudi Arabia and
\nMalaysia would take part in the expansion of the currently idle
\nairstrip from 900 meters to 1,000 meters at a total cost of Rp 35
\nbillion (US$3.5 million).<\/p>\n
"We believe the expansion of the airstrip will boost the
\ntourist industry in Kepulauan Seribu regency. Currently,
\ntransportation is the main problem," Djoko said after reporting
\nthe project to Governor Sutiyoso on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He said the islands could currently only be reached with
\nrented speedboats or small, traditional fishing boats.<\/p>\n
According to Djoko, some 90,000 tourists -- 70,000 domestic
\ntourists and 20,000 foreign tourists -- visited nine isles last
\nyear, which contributed Rp 2 billion to the city revenue.<\/p>\n
But the tourist industry has the potential to expand if the
\nairstrip -- which is badly damaged after not being operational
\nfor about 10 years -- works well, said Djoko.<\/p>\n
The airplanes that used to land there were of a small
\ncapacity, such as Cassa 212, twin otter and DHC6.<\/p>\n
According to Djoko, the new airstrip can accommodate a 50-
\nseater airplane.<\/p>\n
The airstrip will be open for chartered as well as commercial
\nplanes from Jakarta, Lampung, Surabaya and Medan.<\/p>\n
He added that air traffic control for the airstrip will be
\noperated from the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in
\nTangerang.<\/p>\n
The new airstrip will be equipped with various supporting
\nfacilities like storage, restaurant, houses for employees, as
\nwell as piers to transport tourists to nearby isles.<\/p>\n
Djoko said tourists currently only visited nine out of 45
\nislands in the regency, namely: Sepa, Bidadari, Bira Besar,
\nHantu, Kotok Timur, Kotok Tengah, Matahari and Putri isles.<\/p>\n
According to him , after the completion of the airstrip
\nexpansion, the regency will also invite investors to develop
\nother isles as tourist resorts.<\/p>\n
"All isles in Kepulauan Seribu regency have the potential to
\nbe developed as a tourist destination. Therefore, we will invite
\ninvestors to start business there," he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/50-seater-planes-will-land-on-thousand-islands-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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