Indonesian President Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi, inaugurated the Labuan Bajo – Golo Mori access road in West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. The President stated that the road will have a significant impact on Labuan Bajo, which is one of Indonesia’s super-priority tourism destinations.
According to a statement from the Cabinet Secretariat, Jokowi said, “This will improve connectivity in developing Labuan Bajo as a super-priority tourist destination.”
The President also noted that the road linking Labuan Bajo and Golo Mori could support the development of the surrounding area. The 25-kilometer access road was constructed for IDR 481 billion.
“The area between Labuan Bajo and Golo Mori will be able to develop well,” Jokowi added.
Agustinus Junianto, Head of the National Road Implementation Agency (BPJN) X in East Nusa Tenggara, explained that several bridges with a total length of 175 meters were built along the access road.
The four bridges are Naganae Bridge, Wae Mburak Bridge, Wae Kenari Bridge, and Soknar Bridge.
Furthermore, Agustinus stated that the construction of the access road would reduce travel time from Labuan Bajo to Golo Mori.
“Previously, it took about two to three hours to travel from Labuan Bajo to Golo Mori. Now, it only takes 30 minutes,” he said.
It was previously reported that the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing through the Regional Infrastructure Development Agency (BPIW) was completing the Integrated Tourism Master Plan (ITMP) for the super-priority tourism destination of Komodo National Park-Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara.
Head of the BPIW, Rachman Arief Dienaputra, stated that ITMP was part of the Indonesian Tourism Development Program (ITDP) or Integrated and Sustainable Tourism Development Program (P3TB). “ITMP is conducted in super-priority tourism destinations,” Arief said.
Currently, ITMP has been completed for seven super-priority tourism destinations, including Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Tanjung Kelayang in Bangka Belitung, Borobudur in Central Java, Likupang in North Sulawesi, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Wakatobi in North Sulawesi, and Raja Ampat in West Papua.
According to Arief, ITMP aims to improve the quality, access to infrastructure, and basic services relevant to tourism. “It also strengthens the future and backward linkage of the local economy with tourism,” he added.
Moreover, ITMP aims to attract sustainable private investment in priority tourism destinations in Indonesia, and enhance the national institutional capacity to facilitate integrated and sustainable tourism development across various sectors.
