City eyes Sunda Kelapa renovation
<p>City eyes Sunda Kelapa renovation</p><p>Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta</p><p> The city administration plans to restore the Sunda Kelapa port in
North Jakarta as the first step in a major project to turn the
old city into a prestigious tourist destination.</p><p>The head of the Sunda Kelapa Maritime Tourism Body, Martono
Yuwono, said Governor Sutiyoso was scheduled to launch the Sunda
Kelapa restoration project during the city's 477th anniversary in
June.</p><p>"The restoration of Sunda Kelapa harbor is aimed at erasing
the slum image of the harbor and other heritage sites in the
surrounding area. I believe the area will become a prestigious
tourist destination after the renovation," Martono told The
Jakarta Post recently.</p><p>City Secretary Ritola Tasmaya confirmed the project, saying
the city had held a number of workshops and seminars to gather
input on how to restore Sunda Kelapa and surrounding historic
sites.</p><p>Sunda Kelapa port in Penjaringan district dates back to the
Hindu kingdoms of the 12th century. It was also a major port
during the Islamic kingdoms and the colonial era. The port is
still used today by thousands of traditional wooden ships.</p><p>Ritola said the restoration project was expected to encourage
private companies, particularly those in the tourist industry, to
invest in the area.</p><p>He said the administration would allocate funds to improve
infrastructure like pedestrian bridges, sidewalks and roads in
the area, as well as to clean up the rivers and the sea at the
harbor.</p><p>"In short, the administration will improve all infrastructure
in the area, while private companies are expected to invest in
tourist facilities like restaurants, hotels and souvenir
centers," Ritola told the Post.</p><p>He said the money for the project would come from the 2005
city budget, but he declined to name a specific figure.</p><p>Martono said the Sunda Kelapa Maritime Tourism Body supervised
dozens of heritage sites, including Sunda Kelapa port, the Fish
Market (Pasar Ikan), Lookout Tower (Menara Syahbandar) and other
heritage sites in the Thousand Island regency.</p><p>He said that eventually, the city hoped to create a 12-
kilometer historic tourist corridor from Muara Baru in North
Jakarta to Glodok in West Jakarta, with hundreds of old houses
and buildings being turned into points of interest all the way
down to the National Monument in Central Jakarta.</p><p>Along the corridor, according to Martono, tourists would find
sites from various historical eras, from the Hindu kingdoms to
the early stages of the country's independence, as well as
information about a number of nations involved in Indonesia's
history, like the Netherlands, Britain, Portugal, France and
China.</p><p>Many countries have successfully marketed their heritage sites
to attract large numbers of foreign tourists.</p><p>"We have everything they have. It depends on how we develop
this unpolished diamond in the northern part of the city,"
Martono said, adding that the opening of the busway corridor from
Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West Jakarta would help in the
development of the old city.</p>
North Jakarta as the first step in a major project to turn the
old city into a prestigious tourist destination.</p><p>The head of the Sunda Kelapa Maritime Tourism Body, Martono
Yuwono, said Governor Sutiyoso was scheduled to launch the Sunda
Kelapa restoration project during the city's 477th anniversary in
June.</p><p>"The restoration of Sunda Kelapa harbor is aimed at erasing
the slum image of the harbor and other heritage sites in the
surrounding area. I believe the area will become a prestigious
tourist destination after the renovation," Martono told The
Jakarta Post recently.</p><p>City Secretary Ritola Tasmaya confirmed the project, saying
the city had held a number of workshops and seminars to gather
input on how to restore Sunda Kelapa and surrounding historic
sites.</p><p>Sunda Kelapa port in Penjaringan district dates back to the
Hindu kingdoms of the 12th century. It was also a major port
during the Islamic kingdoms and the colonial era. The port is
still used today by thousands of traditional wooden ships.</p><p>Ritola said the restoration project was expected to encourage
private companies, particularly those in the tourist industry, to
invest in the area.</p><p>He said the administration would allocate funds to improve
infrastructure like pedestrian bridges, sidewalks and roads in
the area, as well as to clean up the rivers and the sea at the
harbor.</p><p>"In short, the administration will improve all infrastructure
in the area, while private companies are expected to invest in
tourist facilities like restaurants, hotels and souvenir
centers," Ritola told the Post.</p><p>He said the money for the project would come from the 2005
city budget, but he declined to name a specific figure.</p><p>Martono said the Sunda Kelapa Maritime Tourism Body supervised
dozens of heritage sites, including Sunda Kelapa port, the Fish
Market (Pasar Ikan), Lookout Tower (Menara Syahbandar) and other
heritage sites in the Thousand Island regency.</p><p>He said that eventually, the city hoped to create a 12-
kilometer historic tourist corridor from Muara Baru in North
Jakarta to Glodok in West Jakarta, with hundreds of old houses
and buildings being turned into points of interest all the way
down to the National Monument in Central Jakarta.</p><p>Along the corridor, according to Martono, tourists would find
sites from various historical eras, from the Hindu kingdoms to
the early stages of the country's independence, as well as
information about a number of nations involved in Indonesia's
history, like the Netherlands, Britain, Portugal, France and
China.</p><p>Many countries have successfully marketed their heritage sites
to attract large numbers of foreign tourists.</p><p>"We have everything they have. It depends on how we develop
this unpolished diamond in the northern part of the city,"
Martono said, adding that the opening of the busway corridor from
Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West Jakarta would help in the
development of the old city.</p>