The agreement was on a US$400 million investment commitment over a 77.5 hectares of land , the Tourism Ministry said in a statement here on Friday.
The agreement was signed in the Forum of Sustainable Development Tri Hita Karana II on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Nusa DuaBali
The agreement was signed by Chief Executive of BPODT Arie Prasetyo and seven investors in front of President Joko Widodo, Coordinating Minister for Maritimke Affairs, who is also chairman of Supervision Council of Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Economy Darmin Nasution and National Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro.
As the area management agency, BPODT will make sure that the investors would carry out development with eco-tourism concept, by preserving the environment, involving social economy community around Lake Toba, preserving local wisdom and cultural tradition.
In July 2018, President Joko Widodo announced Lake Toba as one of four tourist destinations top priority to be developed in the country.
Lake Toba is also to be developed as one of the main ecotourism areas expected to draw many foreign tourists.
Arie Prasetyo said he welcomed and appreciated the commitment of the investors to developing Lake Toba as an ecotourism destination.
He said under the cooperation agreement, investors would build supporting facilities such as international standard hotels and resort areas for MICE (meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition), agro-forestry, organic farms, tourism education center and empower local social economic potentials to improve the welfare of the local people.
The area to be used are around 386 hectares in the regency of Toba Samosir for the project of (Lake Toba Eco-Cultural Tourism Development.
A number of breakthroughs have been carried out and planned to promote Indonesia tourism to be known internationally including plan to seek recognition of Geopark Kaldera Toba by the UNESCO Global Geopark. In 2019, the tourism industry is projected to contribute US$20 billion to the country`s foreign exchange income. Indonesia hopes to become the favorite tourist destination in Asean .
Reporting by Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Editing by Eliswan
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Eliswan Azly
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
