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Riau Islands aims to increase tourist arrivals, spending under SEZ development scheme
The local administration plans to accelerate tourism development in the Riau Islands through the government's SEZ scheme in a strategy to boost foreign tourist arrivals and thus, the province's tourism revenue.
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A canoe floats on the crystal waters off Bintan Island in Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands province. Tanjung Pinang is the third most popular destination among foreign tourists in the Riau Islands. (Shutterstock/Apri Putra)
T
he Riau Islands provincial administration plans to develop several areas as tourist destinations under the special economic zone (SEZ) program to lure large investments.
Developing the region's tourism under the SEZ (or KEK in Indonesian) program would be more effective, since it would offer investors fiscal incentives and other government facilities, Riau Islands acting governor Isdianto said on Nov. 19 in Batam.
The government’s KEK program aims to develop regional economic potentials as either an industrial zone or a tourist destination. Several areas in Banten, like Tanjung Lesung, are currently being developed as tourist destinations under the KEK program.
Isdianto said that he had discussed the plan with Research, Technology and Higher Education Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro during a World Bank conference in Singapore on Nov. 18. Bambang also heads the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), which was newly established in late October.
Isdianto said that Bambang had asked the provincial administration to develop innovations that would tempt foreign tourists to prolong their stays.
“He agreed that the Riau Islands has great tourism potential and could be a major contributor to the regional and national economies. During our exchange, we discussed approaches that could entice foreign tourists to stay longer in the region,” said Isdiano.
He mentioned that the approach included developing tourist destinations so that tourists enjoyed different facilities and amenities in KEK zones compared to non-KEK zones. The government also planned to offer tax incentives for tourism developers that invested in the province.
