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Borobudur Tourism Authority Board now opens for business
The new BOP will turn Borobudur into a national and international cultural destination that will attract 2,000,000 overseas tourists by the year of 2019.
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Thousands of people watch the first sunrise of 2017 appear at the peak of Borobudur temple in Central Java. (JP/Tarko Sudiarno)
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n a ceremony on Wednesday, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan and Tourism Minister Arief Yahya officially launched the operation of the Borobudur Tourism Authority Board (BOP).
The establishment of Borobudur BOP is based on the Presidential Regulation No. 46 of 2017 that was signed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on April 11.
The target for the BOP is to turn the Buddhist temple into a national and international cultural destination that will attract 2,000,000 overseas tourists by the year 2019.
Read also: Borobudur among National Geographic’s 15 iconic adventures
“Borobudur is being developed as a destination that has a heritage appeal to it. It has been recognized by the UNESCO as a world cultural heritage. The development will focus on the 3A’s elements namely attraction, accessibility and accommodation,” said Arief.
“The key to the success is easy access from and the New Yogyakarta International Airport in Kulonprogo,” he added.
The minister also said that 75 percent of overseas tourists travel to Indonesia by air, 24 percent by sea through Riau Islands from Singapore.
BOP’s main responsibilities will be to manage, coordinate and facilitate the planning, development and controlling of Borobudur tourism area.
The establishment of selection team, an assessor and administration preparation will be done on August 1 to 4 whilst the choice for president director should be announced on August 31.
“There will be 10 candidates for the president director position and will be narrowed down to three people. Out of the three of them, one will become Borobudur BOP president director,” he said.
Read also: Obama calls for preservation of Borobudur Temple
The new approach of 'One Destination, One Management' will reduce the potentials for conflict.
“One Destination One Management serves to minimize the potential for conflict so that the management of tourism can be sustainable and useful for the local people while maintaining its sustainability,” said coordinating ministry of maritime affairs deputy of infrastructure coordination Ridwan Djamaluddin.
Borobudur BOP consists of authoritative and coordinative areas that will integrate all tourist attractions in Joglosemar and will not touch Borobudur’s zone 1-4. Meanwhile, The National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN) consisting of Borobudur, Dieng, Karimunjawa, and Sangiran will be packed into a single destination.
Also, the BOP will be in charge to develop three national destinations such as Solo-Sangiran and surrounding areas, Semarang-Karimunjawa and surrounding areas, Borobudur-Yogyakarta and surrounding areas. (asw)
