Thus, in future, we hope that there will be no more national tourists, who prefer to have holidays abroad rather than in their own country.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) expects that the development of various local tourism destinations can reduce the number of domestic tourists traveling abroad, thereby slashing the amount of national foreign exchange spent in other countries.

During the inauguration of the Lido Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bogor District, West Java Province, on Friday, the president cited the report of Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, stating that at least 11 million Indonesians went on holiday abroad in a year.

"If we can halve it (the number of people having vacations abroad), a significant amount of (national) foreign exchange will not be spent in other countries," Jokowi remarked, as monitored from a video broadcast at the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel.

Jokowi lauded the establishment of various tourism attractions in the Lido SEZ that he believed would draw tourists to visit the economic zone.

"Thus, in future, we hope that there will be no more national tourists who prefer to have holidays abroad rather than in their own country," Jokowi emphasized.

Moreover, the trip to the SEZ only takes about an hour from Jakarta, and the economic zone is surrounded by the scenic beauty of Mount Gede, Mount Pangrango, and Mount Salak, he stated.

On the occasion, he also commended the management of Lido SEZ, PT MNC Land Lido, for optimizing the utilization of the infrastructure built by the government, the Bogor-Ciawi-Sukabumi (Bocimi) Toll Road, which is connected to the Jakarta-Bogor-Ciawi (Jagorawi) Toll Road.

According to the website of the National Committee for SEZ, Lido SEZ is located near the Cigombong Toll Gate of the Bocimi Toll Road and only two hours away from the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Banten Province.

The SEZ provides various tourism attractions, including Movieland, a 21-hectare movie-themed area, with indoor and outdoor studios as well as various supporting facilities for filmmaking activities.

Other attractions are a thematic amusement park, Lido Music & Arts Center, Lido Lake Resort, as well as Lido Adventure Park.

A 17-hectare Lido World Garden and a 101-hectare conservation and ecotourism area Lido Nature Park are also established in the economic zone. Both areas are managed by PT MNC Land Lido in collaboration with the Mount Gede-Pangrango National Park Center.

In addition, a Techno Park and Data Center help to support creative economic activities in the area.

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Translator: Gilang Galiartha, Uyu Liman
Editor: Anton Santoso
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