Mataram to get int'l airport

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: An international airport will soon be built here, replacing the province's inadequate airport, Selaparang, after a year-long delay due to the economic crisis, Antara reported on Saturday.

Governor Harun Al Rasyid said the plan was in response to offers from foreign investors to construct the airport on Lombok island, one of the country's tourist destinations.

"Many foreign investors have expressed interest in building the airport as long as they are allowed to build hotels," he said in his address to 100 members of the Bali chapter of the Pacific Area Travel Association (PATA) on Friday night.

He added the new airport would stand on 600 hectares of land in Penujak village in the Central Lombok district. The project is expected to commence in the next fiscal year, pending approval from the central government.

Four countries just recently lifted their travel ban to Lombok, which was rocked by riots in January. (01)