Bintan to accommodate one million visitors<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The development of tourism facilities will
\nenable Bintan Island in Riau, currently inhabited by some 100,000
\npeople, to accommodate up to one million visitors annually in the
\nyear 2000, a minister says.<\/p>\n
\"There are currently four hotel projects under construction. A
\nnumber of hotels will also be expanded in the coming years,\"
\nCoordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto told
\nreporters after meeting with President Soeharto here Saturday.<\/p>\n
He said the 120-hectare Bintan is developed as a resort and
\nindustrial zone within the Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore growth
\ntriangle, linking the Indonesian province of Riau, Singapore and
\nthe Malaysian state of Johor.<\/p>\n
The resorts on the island will include Bintan Lagoon Beach &
\nGolf Resort and Banyan Tree Bintan Resort. Salim Group of
\nIndonesia and Kuok Group of Singapore also plan to develop a five
\nstar hotel along the Pasir Panjang beach.<\/p>\n
The number of foreign visitors arriving in Indonesia during
\nthe first five months of this year rose by 21.5 percent to more
\nthan 1.25 million people over the same period last year. Last
\nyear, the number of foreign arrivals increased by 11 percent to
\n3.4 million people from 3.06 million in 1992.<\/p>\n
Some 3.9 million foreigners are expected to visit Indonesia
\nthis year. In the last year of the sixth Five Year Development
\nPlan (Repelita VI) period, the country expects to receive about
\nsix million to 6.5 million foreign visitors.<\/p>\n
\"To attract more foreign visitors through Bintan, there is
\nalso a cultural center being prepared on the island,\" Hartarto
\nsaid, adding that a ferry terminal at Teluk Sebung has began its
\noperation.<\/p>\n
Some facilities on the island were dedicated last Tuesday by
\nministers from Indonesia and Singapore.<\/p>\n
Hartarto said most of the projects developed on Bintan are 60
\npercent owned by Indonesia and 40 percent by Singapore.\"<\/p>\n
He also said that Karimun Island, also in Riau, will also have
\na dock yard and supporting facilities, which will be controlled
\nby a Singapore-Indonesia consortium.(icn)<\/p>",
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