West Papua prioritises Triton Bay and the Arfak Mountains for tourism development

Manokwari (ANTARA) - The West Papua provincial government is prioritising the development of two tourist destinations, namely the Triton Bay area and the Arfak Mountains, as part of efforts to strengthen competitiveness while increasing the number of tourist visits. The Head of the West Papua Tourism Office Jafar Werfete in Manokwari on Friday said the development of these two destinations had been accommodated into the provincial tourism development master plan document (riparprov), which is being discussed with legislators. “These two destinations are also included in the national medium-term development plan document (RPJMN),” Jafar said. According to him, the development of the maritime tourism area of Teluk Triton in Kaimana Regency and the nature tourism in the Arfak Mountains, which have biodiversity wealth, must pay attention to the main 3A concept, namely attraction, accessibility, and amenities. The application of the 3A concept is very important because developing the tourism sector is not only oriented toward increasing the number of tourist visits but also providing an economic impact for local communities in a sustainable manner. “Not only is the destination being built, but how the government prepares the local community to take an active role as beneficiaries,” he said. Jafar explained that the attraction concept is the main element to attract visitors to the West Papua region, while accessibility relates to ease of transport and connectivity to the two tourist locations. Then the amenities concept includes the availability of supporting facilities such as accommodation, restaurants, telecommunications services, and sanitation facilities to support the competitiveness of the tourism destinations and enhance the comfort for all visitors. “In terms of attractions, West Papua has natural wealth, culture, customs, dances and others. It is only accessibility and amenities that require maximum work,” said Jafar. He assessed that the integrated tourism area development of Teluk Triton and the Arfak Mountains will have a positive effect on other tourism potentials such as Cendrawasih Bay National Park in Teluk Wondama, then Fakfak, Teluk Bintuni, and Manokwari Selatan. The provincial government needs support from all stakeholders, be it ministries/agencies, state-owned enterprises (BUMN), private sector, and indigenous communities in West Papua so that tourism sector development efforts run to their maximum in line with shared expectations. “We do not ignore the tourism potential in other districts, including Manokwari. If these two priority destinations are successfully developed, then the impact will spread to all regions in West Papua,” said Jafar.