"We hope that international flights between Belitung and Singapore and Malaysia will reopen," Acting Head of the province's Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Sports Office Herwanita said here on Saturday.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, international flights to the province have been closed to prevent virus transmission, she noted.
"Currently, public activity restrictions (PPKM) have been revoked, and it is hoped that the Ministry of Transportation will reopen international flights (to Belitung)," she said.
Belitung Island is one of the government’s ten priority tourism destinations (DPPs) and was also featured in the movie The Rainbow Troops, thus, it has huge potential to draw tourists, she pointed out.
Tourism activities can contribute to the local economy, hence, she also asked airlines to add domestic flights to Belitung and Bangka Islands.
"If there are no flights, there are no maximum efforts to revive tourism," she said, emphasizing that there are not enough flights to the province yet.
She informed that her party will conduct a survey to convince the ministry so that Bangka Belitung tourism can bounce back.
Belitung Island has beautiful natural scenery, such as beaches, and culture, which are comparable to those of Bali and Lombok Islands, acting Governor Ridwan Djamaluddin said during the G20 Development Working Group (DWG) Meeting in early September 2022.
On January 24, 2023, Djamaluddin held a coordination meeting to discuss ways to increase the tourism sector's contribution to the economy.
"This meeting is in the framework of increasing the contribution of the national tourism sector and state foreign exchange earnings, especially regarding the acceleration of the Tanjung Kelayang tourism sector development, which has been designated as a national tourism strategic area (KSPN)," he explained.
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Translator: Aprionis, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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