The working visit of President Jokowi (Joko Widodo) to Labuan Bajo related to the development of tourism infrastructure will have a major impact on NTT, since in future, Labuan Bajo can become the second-best tourist destination after Bali.Kupang (ANTARA) - Economic observer from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dr. James Adam, MBA, believes that Labuan Bajo in West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), can become the second-best tourist destination in Indonesia after Bali.
"President Jokowi's (Joko Widodo's) working visit to Labuan Bajo is intended to monitor the development of tourism infrastructure that will have a major impact on NTT, as in future, Labuan Bajo can become the second-best tourist destination after Bali," Adam told Antara here on Friday.
Adam made the statement in connection with President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi's) two-day working visit to Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, and its impact on development of the area's tourism sector.
Moreover, the former dean of the Faculty of Economics at Artha Wacana Christian University, Kupang, pointed to the most interesting aspect of the giant lizard called Komodo found only in Labuan Bajo, the western part of Flores Island.
Adam further noted that President Jokowi's visit to Labuan Bajo undoubtedly has an impact on NTT's tourism since Labuan Bajo is one of the 10 tourist destinations to be developed by the government.
With a tourism development program in place in the area, NTT will gain wider recognition and witness a rise in the number of foreign tourist visits.
Hence, he believes that President Jokowi's working visit to review the development of tourism infrastructure in the area will certainly facilitate Labuan Bajo to emerge as the second-best tourist destination in Eastern Indonesia, after Bali.
In the meantime, Head of the Public Relations Secretariat of NTT Marius Ardu Jelamu remarked that President Jokowi's visit to West Manggarai aimed to encourage the development of the region's tourism sector to become truly good and classy.
"Every day, hundreds of international tourists from various countries enter Labuan Bajo, and the president's visit aims to encourage the relevant ministries and institutions and ensure that tourism development in West Manggarai is really good and classy," Jelamu stated.
The former head of the NTT Province Tourism and Creative Economy Office remarked that Labuan Bajo is one of the 10 national priority destinations.
"We know that the Labuan Bajo destination is one of the 10 national priority destinations, and of the 10, four are super-priority tourist destinations, specifically Labuan Bajo, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, Lake Toba in North Sumatra, and Buddhist Temple Borobudur in Central Java," he noted.
"This is a super-priority destination that is encouraged to be developed, and in future, Labuan Bajo is expected to become one of the four super-priority destinations ," Jelamu noted. EDITED BY INE
Translator: Bernadus Tokan/Bambang Purwant
Editor: Eliswan Azly
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
