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Sabang asks govt to assist with infrastructure development
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View of Iboih Beach in Sabang regency, Aceh. (Shutterstock/Sony Herdiana)
S
abang regency in Aceh has urged the government to assist the region in bolstering various infrastructure projects to boost tourism amid a steady increase of tourist arrivals in recent years.
Sabang Deputy Mayor Nazaruddin said several development plans for the city’s infrastructure were underway to support the local economy, including the tourism sector.
“We’ve been actively developing public infrastructure that will have a direct impact on the improvement of the local economy,” Nazaruddin said as quoted by tempo.co.
However, he added, the administration still required assistance from the central government as a boost in tourism in the region would also contribute to the growth of the national economy.
The Tourism Ministry named the regency as one of the National Tourism Strategic Areas (KSPN) in 2017, according to the Sabang Tourism and Culture Agency.
Read also: Sabang festival to lure tourists with coastal culture, dragon boat competition
More than 29,000 foreign tourists reportedly visited Sabang Island last year, a significant increase from 2017 when only 2,981 people visited, according to data from the agency.
The regency is home to popular tourist spots such as the Weh Island Monument, Zero Kilometer Monument, as well as Iboh and Sumur Tiga beaches.
In January, the government put aside 40 hectares of land for an international airport in Sabang to support local tourism in the region.
The Tourism Ministry’s undersecretary for regional development, Lokot Ahmad Enda, said the international airport was expected to be a hub for global airlines that would transport large numbers of tourists. (rfa/mut)
