Tourism Minister Provides Inputs for Tourism Advancement in Mentawai

Padang (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism (Menpar), Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, has conveyed several inputs that the West Sumatra Provincial Government, along with the Mentawai Islands Regency Government, can implement to support the advancement of tourism in Mentawai.

“I just heard directly from the Governor of West Sumatra regarding several tourism aspirations in the Mentawai Islands Regency,” said Menpar Widiyanti Putri Wardhana in Padang on Wednesday.

In the meeting, the Minister suggested adding to the runway (runway) at Mentawai Airport (BUM). The airport, which was inaugurated by President Jokowi on 25 October 2023, currently has a runway of 1,500 x 30 metres, allowing it to handle only ATR 72-600 aircraft with a maximum capacity of 78 passengers.

“For example, in Mentawai, there is a need to add 400 metres to the runway, so that larger aircraft can arrive in greater numbers,” she stated.

The additional accommodation capacity is important and crucial to ensure the comfort of tourists visiting the Land of Sikerei (Mentawai’s nickname).

Meanwhile, West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi stated that the Mentawai Islands Regency is one of the flagship tourism destinations in the Minang Land. This outermost island of Indonesia, directly facing the Indian Ocean, possesses several advantages not widely found in other regions of Indonesia or even the world.

To the Minister, the governor mentioned that there are at least nearly 300 surfing spots that are the favourites of international tourists. During certain seasons, hotels, resorts, or accommodations in the Mentawai Islands Regency are almost always fully booked by foreign tourists.

Finally, Mahyeldi said that the inputs from the Minister will be followed up by the government together with relevant stakeholders so that the advancement of the tourism sector in Mentawai can provide benefits for the welfare of the community, including impacting economic growth.