Tourism Ministry Meets With Lion Air, Wants New Flights to Bring More Visitors
Jakarta. Tourism Minister Arief Yahya met with budget airline Lion Air Group co-founder Rusdi Kirana on Thursday (04/05) in a bid to open new routes to boost Indonesian tourism.
"There are three flights a day to North Sulawesi's Manado from China, capable to carry 2,400 passengers," Rusdi said, adding it is difficult to increase the capacity as the number of hotels in Manado is insufficient.
Rusdi said that state construction company Wijaya Karya (WIKA) financed by state-owned banks in Manado should build more hotels in the city.
"Lion Air would ensure the hotel rooms are purchased by the group,," he said.
Lion's Batik Air airline is alos ready to fly to North Sumatra's Silangit Airport in Siborong-Borong once its runway is ready — according to estimates in September 2017.
In the meeting, Arief encouraged the group to make a new route to Belitung's H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin International Airport in Bangka Belitung Islands.
The minister also suggested that Lion Air operate more flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bali and Lombok, and a direct one from India.
"India is among the countries we target in promoting tourism. In 2016, around 300,000 tourists from India visited Indonesia, although there's no direct flight yet." said the minister.
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