"Yogyakarta International Airport is one of the triggers for the growth of hospitality and restaurant businesses in Kulon Progo, along with other existing facilities and services available here," Head of Kulon Progo Tourism Office Joko Mursito said here on Saturday.
So far, tourists stayed not more than one day in Kulon Progo and it did not contribute much to the local economy, he said.
He was upbeat that in future tourists would stay long enough in Kulon Progo when new star-rated hotels and restaurants would be available to offer better services and comfort.
Kulon Progo has some 30 tourist attractions and several of them needed to be improved, he remarked.
Now, local tourists started to visit Glagah Beach to enjoy the view of planes landing in and taking off from YIA, he noted.
"In 2021, a culinary plaza will be built in Glagah and additional facilities and infrastructure will be made available to support the (COVID-19) health protocols," he said.
The district's tourism office has also trained local tourist officers an guides to improve their skills and knowledge including on the health protocols that must be implemented amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Thursday inaugurated the Yogyakarta International Airport that has a capacity to accommodate 20 million people annually.
The new airport is about 60 km away form the world's most famous Buddhist temple, Borobudur, which has been designated by the government to become one of the five super priority tourist destinations.
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Translator: Sutarmi, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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