"I hope, in late 2020, every infrastructure - calendar of events, creative economic products and souvenirs - which will support new tourist destinations, will be completed," the President wrote in his official Twitter account @jokowi on Sunday.
Indonesia has been developing 10 priority tourist destinations, and five of them are expected to be ready within two years.
The five "new Balis" are Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, Borobudur in Central Java, Lake Toba in North Sumatra, and Manado in North Sulawesi.
"Their segments include super premium, medium, public and also special tourism," he said.
The government will launch major promotion activities when the five priority tourist destinations are ready. "Visiting tourists will also help promote them," he said.
The government has designated the five National Tourism Strategic Zones (KSPN) as New Balis.
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The top priority projects will be supported by infrastructure whose construction works are expected to be completed in late 2020.
The KSPN development is integrated to include land spatial improvement, roads, clean water supply, waste management, sanitation and renovation of residential areas.
With the Tourism Ministry working hard to promote Indonesia globally, particularly in China, India, the Middle East, and Europe, nearly 18 million tourists are expected to arrive this year. The target of 18 million foreign tourists has been revised from the previous target of 20 million foreign visitors this year.
Several unpredictable circumstances such as natural disasters have affected the arrivals of foreign tourists in the first semester this year, forcing a revision in the target, the Tourism Ministry explained in late July.
The government has designated 10 tourist destinations as priority ones and dubbed the 10 as New Balis.
The 10 priority tourist destinations are Borobudur; Labuan Bajo-Komodo Island in West Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara; Mandalika on Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara; Bromo-Tengger-Semeru in East Java; Pulau Seribu in North Jakarta; Lake Toba; Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi; Tanjung Lesung in Banten; Morotai in the northern region of Halmahera in the Maluku Islands; and Tanjung Kelayang in Belitung, Bangka Belitung.
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Translator: Bayu Prasetyo, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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