It will also eventually help to create more new job opportunities.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno has said he is optimistic that the Lido Tourism Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bogor district, West Java province, will prompt domestic tourists to vacation within the country.

In a statement released on Friday, he informed that theme parks, waterparks, hotels, golf courses, music and art centers, a movieland, and several other attractions would be established on the 1,040-hectare tourism destination and creative economy center.

Sports tourism and ecotourism will also be developed at Lido SEZ, which was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Friday, he added.

"We will welcome the new era of (domestic) tourism as there will be a world-class tourism destination, which is only one hour away from Jakarta,” the minister remarked.

The opening of the tourism area is expected to support the government in achieving the target of 1.4 billion domestic tourist visits and 7.4 million foreign tourist visits in 2023, he said.

While inaugurating the SEZ, Widodo 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.

"We expect that the 11 million Indonesian tourists who travel abroad will prefer to have a vacation in Indonesia. It will also eventually help to create more new job opportunities," Uno said.

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

The tourism area is managed by PT MNC Land Lido, a subsidiary of a private media, entertainment, and financial service company MNC Group.

Executive chairperson of the MNC Group, Hary Tanoesoedibjo, said that apart from the tourism area, a technopark similar to Silicon Valley will also be developed as an education center in the SEZ.

"We have explored (cooperation opportunities) with various reputable overseas universities to build their campuses in this area,” he added.

He said that his party has also sought collaboration for start-up development, as the facilities at the SEZ would be developed to support beginners who want to start a digital business.

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Translator: Sinta Ambarwati, Uyu Liman
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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