“This is a follow up on the development of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park's National Authority Board,” said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.

The ministry has previously established 10 KEK priority developments in areas like Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tengggara, Tanjung Lesung in Banten and Tanjung Kelayang in Bangka Belitung.

Read also: Reog Tengger: Mount Bromo's must-see attraction

Arief explained the criteria of a KEK area, “The first criteria is attraction; the place needs to be a National Tourism Development Area [KPPN] first to prove that it has its own appeals, be it from culture or nature. The second is accessibility; a proposed KEK area needs to be close to a seaport or international airport. The third is area; a KEK area needs to be built on at least 100 hectares of land."

“The two locations ticked all the three criteria; the government will provide incentive for the KEK development. Creating a KEK tourist attraction is not easy; all stakeholders need to be involved in it and the area will have to have something more to offer that is better than other attractions,” Arief added.

Moreover, Arief mentioned that Singosari and Gresik were close to Surabaya's main market and only a two-hour drive from the city center.

KEK Singhasari is currently preparing 200 hectares of land located in three different villages, namely Langlang, Purwosari and Klampok. All three will focus on heritage values for their integrated tourism concept that is being developed under Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) Consortium, Malang regency administration and PT Intelegensia Graha Tama (IGT) Singhasari Graha Residence.

The place will also host a techno park cluster with a view of Singosari district in the background. The cluster will be developed to look like the Silicon Valley in San Francisco.

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Aside from that, a five-star hotel and hospital will also be built on the slope of Mount Arjuna. The latter project will partner up with one hospital from South Korea.

Meanwhile, KEK Polowijo in Gresik is planning for a horticulture development of PT Polowijo Gosari on 200 hectares of land. The firm was established on May 11, 1978 as a limestone mine, dolomite fertilizer manufacturer and agribusiness company that produces fruits and horticulture products.

KEK Polowijo will offer a city tour package that takes visitors to explore the company and the industry. It will also host a school in the middle of the main plantation that will conduct research on horticulture and is hoped to become the horticulture center in Indonesia. (kes)

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