Angkasa Pura Airports (AP I) and the Semarang administration have expressed shared commitment to improving the city through the development of Ahmad Yani Airport, a major economy booster of the Central Java provincial capital.
During a working visit to the Angkasa Pura headquarters in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta on Friday (31/8), Semarang deputy mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti noted the importance of integrating the city’s planned infrastructure projects with the expansion plan of Ahmad Yani Airport, which is operated by AP I.
“The infrastructure development of a city cannot be separated from other sectors, such as tourism, small and medium enterprise, and transportation. It also needs to involve other stakeholders including the government, private sectors and public. They are all connected to each other. If the infrastructure developments run well, it will surely improve the economy and trigger sustainable development,” said Ita, as she is affectionately known.
Pushing Semarang to become a hub of Central Java’s abundant tourism destinations
Airport’s business development is highly dependent on the growth of the area it resides. To increase passenger number and flight traffic to Semarang, which will positively impact the airport, there is a need to improve tourism attractions in the city to lure more tourists.
“We are pushing Semarang to not only be a final destination, but also to become a hub to other various tourist destinations across the Central Java. Therefore, airport development should be accompanied by the development of Semarang, which can facilitate travelers to stay longer and explore various tourism spots in the city and its surrounding areas,” said AP I marketing and service director Devy Suradji.
Ita added that her office was currently developing and revitalizing a number of tourism destinations in Semarang and its vicinity. “Several leading tourism spots in Semarang are Semarang Zoo, Jatibarang Reservoir, Kreo Cave, Kandri Village, Tinjomoyo Forest, Sam Poo Kong Chinese Temple, Rainbow Village, Lawang Sewu (Thousand Doors) building, Watugong Vihara, Maerokoco Park, and Kota Lama (Old City). Meanwhile, other tourism spots in Semarang’s hinterland include Demak Religious Tourism, Cahaya Beach, Kartini Beach, Karimun Java Island, Bandengan Beach, Teluk Awur Beach and Gedong Songo Temple,” she said.
Devy said that to further boost Semarang as a transportation center in Central Java, adequate facilities to support cargo carriage were also needed as it played a huge contribution towards the economic wheel of a city.
Integrating Semarang’s Transportation Infrastructure Development
It also took the opportunity to praise the Ahmad Yani Airport’s newly-built terminal, which is more modern and has the capacity of 6.9 million passengers per year, nearly nine times bigger than the old terminal. To anticipate the increasing number of airline passengers heading for Semarang, the city administration will build, expand and integrate land transportation system to ease mobility in the city.
"There are several modes of land transportations that will be directly integrated with the Ahmad Yani Airpot. Currently there is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Trans Semarang, which connects the airport to Simpang Lima at the city’s downtown. We will maximize BRT’s system at the airport by developing a shelter or transit point. Hopefully its construction will start soon,” she said.
The Semarang administration has also planned to build Light Rapid Transit (LRT), which will serve nine corridors. The first corridor to be built, corridor 9, also dubbed the first phase of Tourism Corridor, will connect the airport to Madukoro and Pasar Bulu, spanning 5.9 kilometers.
"With a number of available transportation options from and to Ahmad Yani’s airport, it is expected to ease domestic and foreign tourists’ mobility when visiting Semarang, whose number continue to grow over the past few years,” Ita explained.
Apart from cooperation to work on transportation infrastructure development, AP I and Semarang administration have also agreed on providing opportunities for small and medium-scale enterprises to become partners. “In accordance with our fourth mission stated in the city’s mid-term regional development plan (RPJMD) on empowering people’s economy based on local wisdom to create a conducive climate for business, we have several programs to facilitate their products to enter the market, namely trade partners, gallery showcase, product fair and business matching. We look forward to expanding cooperation with Angkasa Pura I to empower small and medium enterprises in Semarang,” Ita said.
Devy said that she highly appreciated the swift steps and thoughtful directions taken by the administration to develop and integrate transportation system in the city. “We really appreciate the progressive and innovative steps taken by the Semarang administration. This is in line with our plan to accelerate the expansion of Ahmad Yani Airport in 2019. We are looking forward to realizing the cooperation in the near future,” Devy said.
