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transit hotel is to enhance facilities at Ngurah Rai International Airport when the current massive makeover is completed in the coming months.

Trubus Suharsono, spokesperson for the airport expansion project, told The Jakarta Post that an international-standard transit hotel was a basic requirement for a world-class airport.

The planned transit hotel was not on the initial expansion plans.

'PT Angkasa Pura [PAP] airport management is developing the hotel,' Suharsono said.

The current airport expansion project, costing around Rp 2.8 trillion (US$281.5 million), is one of the central government's major infrastructure projects.

The transit hotel will be built above the airport's international terminal.

'The hotel is still under construction and will be completed before October,' he added.

The expanded airport is expected to accommodate 20 million passengers per year. Today, Ngurah Rai has only capacity for eight million passengers, while in reality it is already greeting 11 million.

The renovated airport will be equipped with a shopping arcade, moneychangers, handicraft shops, duty free outlets, a Wi-Fi connection, and a lavish international and domestic terminal.

A special apron will also be built to accommodate private jets and charter flights.

The airport currently receives at least 500 private aircraft every month, despite the limited space.

In a recent interview with The Jakarta Post, operational manager of PT Angkasa Pura I, said that the state-owned airport management company was planning an apron to accommodate 14 narrow and small-bodied aircraft. The apron construction is expected to be completed by August.

Tommy Sutomo, president director of PAP I, said that other airports under the auspices of PT PAP I would also have similar facilities.

The company is now operating a number of airports, including Yogyakarta International Airport; Surakarta Airport and Semarang Airport in Central Java; Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali; Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, East Java; Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi; Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan; Selaparang in Mataram in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara; El Tari in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara; Biak in Papua and Patimmura Airport in Ambon, Maluku.

Ketut Ardana, chairman of the Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies Association (ASITA), warmly welcomed the plan.

However, he reminded that services were also important. 'The transit hotel should include upgrading of human resources and services, including immigration services,' Ardana commented.