We will make it a remarkable (tourist) attraction...
Jakarta (ANTARA) - State-owned tourism holding PT Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia (Persero) or InJourney is preparing to revitalize the Old City of Semarang, Central Java Province, as an integrated old town.

"We will develop the Old City of Semarang as an integrated old town. Indeed, it will be extraordinary," President Director of InJourney Dony Oskaria said at the “Indonesia Tourism Outlook 2023” here on Wednesday.

Fortunately, 82 percent of the old buildings in the tourism area are state-owned properties, he noted.

"We will renovate it (the old town). We will make it a remarkable (tourist) attraction where there will be malls, hotels, cafés, restaurants, and so on later, thus the Old City (of Semarang) will become a prominent (tourist) destination," he informed.

Currently, InJourney is focusing on developing the five super-priority tourism destinations (DPSPs) of Lake Toba (North Sumatra), Borobudur Temple (Central Java), Mandalika (West Nusa Tenggara), Labuan Bajo (East Nusa Tenggara), and Likupang-Manado (North Sulawesi).

The revitalization of the Old City of Semarang is a part of the development of the Yogyakarta-Solo-Semarang or Joglosemar tourism area, which is the buffer area of the Borobudur Temple DPSP located in Magelang district, Central Java province.

Earlier, Oskaria said that the plan to develop the Old City of Semarang is also aimed at preserving local heritage.

Several tourist sites in the Old City of Semarang are located in one complex, thus making them easier to organize. Moreover, the access and infrastructure of the old town have been prepared by the local government.

Furthermore, the Semarang city government is actively involved in administering the tourist area.

The local government has also established a management body for the old town, thus InJourney considers it one of the most advanced tourist destinations in Indonesia.

The Old City of Semarang is popular for historic buildings with European-style architecture.

The area was once the center of economic activity during the Dutch East Indies era.

Since 2016, the name of the Old City of Semarang has been proposed for a UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

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Translator: Aji Cakti, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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