"The Batu Angus geopark area must be supported for the development of national tourism by prioritizing the local culture, such as local dances. This must be preserved, including the flora and fauna that are developed innovatively in the area," Uno stated during his visit to the Batu Angus Geopark on Thursday.
The minister later noted that the unique characteristic of the Batu Angus Geopark is the presence of chunks of black rocks that are remnants of the lava eruption of Mount Gamalama in Ternate.
Moreover, the ministry had issued the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Regulation Number 2 of 2020 on technical guidelines for the development of geoparks as qualified and sustainable tourism destinations and building geoparks as competitive and world-class tourist destinations.
"We do not need to spend a lot of money building tourist destinations, as we already have an extraordinary natural phenomenon. We will support the development of Batu Angus to become a national geopark destination," he affirmed.
According to Uno, the geopark could have an impact on environmental conservation, foster education, increase community welfare and tourism development with Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), as well as empower local communities to leave no one behind.
Uno is optimistic that the Batu Angus Geopark would encourage collaboration and innovation by involving the business world since there are several mining operations in the North Maluku region.
He urged all stakeholders to collaborate in this tourist destination since tourism has a major impact on the economy and creates jobs for the local community.
In addition to visiting the Batu Angus Geopark, the minister had the opportunity to provide creative economic training centered at the Khairun University, Ternate.
He is also scheduled to conduct a series of two-day working visits in North Maluku, including opening the Jailolo Bay Festival (FTJ) in West Halmahera District.
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Translator: Abdul Fatah, Resinta S
Editor: Suharto
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