PRESIDENT JOKOWI ORDERS BETTER CONNECTIVITY, ACCESSIBILITY TO LAKE TOBA by Fardah

Jakarta, March 2, 2016 (Antara) - Designated as a world-class tourist destination, Lake Toba in North Sumatra Province needs to have better connectivity and accessibility, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has stated.

        The President's determination to turn Lake Toba into a priority tourist destination was discussed in a meeting held in a Lake Toba resort in Samosir District, on March 1.

          The meeting was attended, among others, by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, and acting North Sumatra Governor Tengku Erry Nuradi, as well as district heads from regions in the vicinity of Lake Toba.

         Lake Toba is one of the 10 priority tourist destinations selected along with Borobudur, Mandalika, Labuhan Bajo, Bromo-Tengger-Semeru, Seribu (One Thousand) Islands, Wakatobi, Tanjung Lesung, Morotai, and Tanjung Kelayang. 
     President Jokowi has asked the national flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia, to operate  flights to Silangit Airport in North Tapanuli District, to cater to tourists visiting Lake Toba.

         "By late March (this year), I will force Garuda to serve Toba with three flights," Jokowi said in the meeting called to discuss the development of Lake Toba as a priority tourist destination, here on  Tuesday.

          During an inspection of the Silangit airport just before the meeting, it was decided that the airport would be renovated, he noted.

           "This morning, I decided that the terminal would be improved, runways will be widened and extended in length so that the Boeing aircraft could land," he said. The runway is to be extended to 2,650 meters.

          He hoped that the renovation would be completed at the latest by this year-end, though the airport management company PT Angkasa Pura II has pledged to finish the work by September 2016.

          The meeting was a follow up of a limited cabinet meeting held at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on February 2, 2016. 
    During the meeting, the president instructed the ministers to develop connectivity and accessibility in the Lake Toba tourism area by constructing or renovating airports, roads, and seaports.

          "I also emphasize the need to make preparations to develop Lake Toba as a brand that offers services of international standards and also offers arts and cultural attractions along with beautiful choreography, good designs, and class," the president stated.

        The Toba development is expected to help improve the living conditions of the local population, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said.

        "Lake Toba is being prepared to become "a new Bali" in Indonesia. We are confident that we will be able to do so and Lake Toba will be developed into a nature and geo-park tourism destination," he added.

        Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said on an average US$1 billion annually is expected to be earned from foreign tourists visiting Lake Toba. Lake Toba's tourism industry is expected to contribute Rp30 trillion by 2019.

        The investment at the initial stage for Lake Toba will be Rp20 trillion, of which Rp10 trillion will come from the government and the rest will come from the private sector, he said.          
   North Sumatra's authorities have been urged to organize international events, such as the "Tour de Toba" cycling race, to attract tourists.

        The local government hopes that the Toba Caldera Geopark would be added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2017.

        One of key reasons for success in developing tourism at Lake Toba is the fact that the management is being undertaken jointly by seven district heads surrounding it, namely Samosir, Toba Samosir, Simalungun, Tapanuli Utara, Karo, Dairi, and Humbang Hasundutan, according to the minister.

        The government's plan to set up a Lake Toba Authority to manage the development of the tourist destination is supported by all seven district heads who have signed an agreement in this regard.

        The authority would later manage issuance of permits for activities around the Lake Toba area, estimated at about 500 hectares, the President said.

        "All permits are under the authority of the Lake Toba Authority and all district heads have agreed to it," the President said.

         Lake Toba located in North Sumatra Province is the largest volcanic lake on the planet.

        The lake was formed by a steep-walled caldera that resulted during the Toba volcano's eruption, the largest known volcanic eruption on the planet in the past two million years.

         When viewed from space, the Toba caldera is one of the most striking volcanic craters on Earth, measuring 100 x 30 kilometers.

         The ancient lake's uniqueness, beautiful natural scenery, and the rich coastal culture of North Sumatra's people living around Lake Toba have attracted several domestic and foreign tourists.

         On January 9, five ministers held a meeting to discuss a plan to set up a Lake Toba Tourism Authority to improve the management of tourism in the Lake Toba area.

         The meeting held at the Del Institute of Technology in Laguboti, Toba Samosir, was led by Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Resources, Rizal Ramli.

         The four other ministers attending the meeting were Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, Public Works Minister Basuki Hadimulyono, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Panjaitan, and Minister of Forestry and Environment, Siti Nurbaya.

         Rizal Ramli expressed full commitment to setting up the agency to ensure better coordination in the management of Lake Toba, so that it becomes the "Monaco of Asia," or an international-standard tourism destination and attract more foreign tourists.

         The minister later outlined several points concerning the development of Lake Toba.

          The lake area needs to be cleaned up, he stated, adding that the government would help small-scale fishermen by providing the feeding box technology, while the big fishermen will be urged not to damage the environment.

         The inhabitants of seven districts located around Lake Toba must be able to reap the benefits once Lake Toba is developed into a world-class tourism destination, he stated.

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EDITED BY INE
02-03-2016 23:29:25