Mega resorts planned for Bali, Belitung<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Two private companies controlled by Hutomo
\nMandala Putra, President Soeharto's youngest son, are planning to
\nestablish resorts worth billions of dollars on Bali and on
\nBelitung island, South Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Hutomo, popularly known as Tommy, is developing the 650-
\nhectare Pecatu Indah Resort Bali in Jimbaran, southern Bali,
\nthrough PT Bali Pecatu Graha. The company's subsidiary, PT Putra
\nCiptawahana Sejati, is to develop the 1,070-hectare Belitung
\nIndah Resort on Belitung island, which is famous for tin mining.<\/p>\n
Bali Pecatu's president, Made G. Putrawan, who is also the
\npresident of Putra Ciptawahana, told a press conference here
\nyesterday that the Bali resort was expected to attract US$1.6
\nbillion in domestic and overseas investment for the various
\ncomponents at the site, while the Belitung resort may attract
\n$120 million.<\/p>\n
He said that besides its eight hotels, the Pecatu Indah Resort
\nBali would also have golf courses covering 300 hectares,
\nbotanical gardens, residential areas, cultural centers and
\ncommunity facilities.<\/p>\n
Construction of the first stage of the Bali resort is expected
\nto be completed by the end of next year. The entire development
\nis scheduled to be completed by 2003.<\/p>\n
Bali Pecatu's finance director, Gusti Bagus Mantika, said the
\ncompany had secured Rp 115 billion ($48.7 million) in loans from
\na banking syndicate -- Bank Eskpor Impor Indonesia, Bank Tabungan
\nNegara and Bank Rama -- to develop the first stage of
\ninfrastructure for the Bali resort.<\/p>\n
Established in 1990, Bali Pecatu is 98.5 percent owned by
\nTommy. The remaining shares are owned by his sister-in-law, Ilsje
\nSigit Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Gusti said the second stage of infrastructure development
\nwould be financed by selling land within the site to investors.<\/p>\n
\"For the third stage, we plan to issue bonds and for the last
\nstage we will float shares on capital markets, either
\ndomestically or internationally,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The country's first integrated resort development is in Nusa
\nDua, Bali. It was pioneered by the government, and contains
\nseveral luxury hotels and convention centers.<\/p>\n
The Bali Nirwana Resort, which is under construction, is
\nanother resort development on the island. Owned by Bakrie Group,
\nit is scheduled to open next year.<\/p>\n
The Belitung Indah Resort is to be the first tourist resort on
\nBelitung island.<\/p>\n
A number of private firms have been reluctant to invest in
\ntourist businesses in Belitung because of its sparse
\ninfrastructure. There are also no official reports on tourist
\nnumbers there.<\/p>\n
Chairperson of the Indonesian Tourism Promotion Board
\nWuryastuti Sunario said that, besides natural attractions,
\nresorts must have proper access and unique attractions and
\nactivities for tourists.<\/p>\n
\"Thumbs up for a company willing to develop a tourist resort
\non an island like Belitung,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Some businessmen have expressed concern over the Tanjung
\nPandan airport in Belitung which needs improving to cater for
\nmore tourists.<\/p>\n
Belitung island, 77 kilometers wide and 79 kilometers long,
\nlies off the east coast of Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Another tourist resort in Belitung which was sponsored by the
\ngovernment and the local authorities of South Sumatra has not
\ngone ahead.<\/p>\n
However, Putrawan said yesterday that the airport in Belitung
\nwould soon be expanded and daily flights from Jakarta and
\nSingapore were scheduled to fly to the island.<\/p>\n
\"We will sell the beaches and the isolation of the planned
\nBelitung resort,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the Belitung Indah resort would be developed in three
\nstages until 2005. (icn)<\/p>",
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