LAMPUNG, a province located on the southern tip of Sumatra island, is hoping to leverage on its hosting of this year’s Tourism Indonesia Mart & Expo (TIME) to showcase what it has to offer to international buyers.
Lampung governor Sjahroedin said: “I’m hopeful that TIME will serve as the momentum to boost our efforts to improve regional tourism as the primary means for facilitating local development, and ultimately the general welfare of the people.”
“I believe the event will serve as an eye-opener for the international community (of what Lampung has to offer).”
Sjahroedin said the launch of TIME 2011 in conjunction with the annual Krakatau Festival in Lampung was the perfect platform to showcase the destination’s potential.
Indonesia Ministry of Culture and Tourism director general of tourism marketing, Sapta Nirwandar, agreed, saying that with Lampung opening up to international tourism, it would add variety to the list of destinations available in Indonesia.
“Lampung has a lot of potential,” Nirwandar said. “Krakatau is known worldwide—it is an icon of Lampung. However, other products, such as cruising around the (Krakatau) volcano, still need to be developed.”
Last year, Lampung received about two million domestic visitors, as well as 3,500 from overseas—a number which is expected to grow by five to ten per cent this year, according to Lampung Regional Tourism office manager, Gatot Hudi Utomo.
Sjahroedin said a host of infrastructural developments were in the pipeline to facilitate the expected increase in arrivals, including a bridge connecting Java and Sumatra across the Sunda Straits, and over 150km of roads linking Bakauheni to South Sumatra.
Sjahroedin added: “Our airport (Raden Inten) is being extended to have a 2500m-long runway, and it will be extended to 3,000 metres (at a later date) and become an international airport.”
