MANGUPURA- Tourism Minister Arief Yahya accompanied by Special Staff of Minister Tourism Connectivity Department Judi Rifajantoro and an expert of Tourism Minister Robert Waloni paid a working visit to Angkasa Pura Airport I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Bali. The working visit is a continuation of Air Connectivity Road show initiated by the Ministry of Tourism for Airlines, air navigation, and airport to pursue the target of 15 million foreign tourists in 2017. The visit of Tourism Minister and the entourage was received directly by Angkasa Pura Airport President Director Danang S Baskoro and Operation Director Wendo Asrul Rose at Novotel Bali Airport, Mangapura, Bali (5/8th).
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said that the Ministry of Tourism has set three major priorities in 2017 namely go digital, home stay tourist village, and air connectivity. Tourism Minister Arief Yahya affirmed that air connectivity is a three critical success that can make more foreign tourists enter Indonesia. “Firstly, almost 80% of foreign tourists enter Indonesia by Air transportation, the rest through the sea to Riau Islands, and cross-border land, so that air accessibility becomes Key Success Factor (KSF) for the achievement of the target of foreign tourists,” said Arief Yahya.
“Secondly, this air access is 80% of the projected 15 million visits this year, so we still lack about 2 million seats capacity from countries that are the main markets of foreign tourists, such as China, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea, and others. Third, traffic in most International Airports in Indonesia is over capacity, such as DPS (Bali) and CKG (Jakarta) which is the main gateway for foreign tourists, as well as some other airports that are in great demand by foreign tourists such as SUB (Surabaya), JOG (Jogja) and BDO (Bandung), added Arief Yahya.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya also expects Angkasa Pura Airports to be able to help achieve the target of 15 million foreign tourists in 2017. “There is still a shortage seat capacity of 2 million seats, which is necessary for the acceleration of airport infrastructure development.” As airport manager, Angkasa Pura I still obtains a monopoly right. Therefore, the competitor is itself that is how to spur the performance of the company to be better,”said Arief Yahya. The main Director of Angkasa Pura Airport Danang S. Baskoro in his presentation said that Angkasa Pura Airport is commited to support and develop tourism by holding various national and international events. “Through Collaborative Destination Development (CDD) initiated by Angkasa Pura Airport by collecting various tourism stakeholders and local communities that are expected to increase the potential of tourism business in supporting the development & economic growth in the area where Angkasa Pura I is located,” said Danang S. Baskoro.
CDD activities nowadays have been held in 9 airports of Angkasa Pura Airports in Manado, Solo, Kupang, Ambon, Semarang, Banjarmasin, Jogjakarta, and Makassar which is also attended by stakeholders Airlines, ASITA, PHRI, Tourism Department, Governor, Mayor and Business Tourism practitioner.
Angkasa Pura also held events to encourage tourism and the movement of domestic and foreign tourists through the Airport Running Series Solo Events, Airport Running Series Koepang Events, Airport Running Series Manado Events, and Airport Running Series Lombok Events. Also the Jazz of Mount Bromo on 19-20 August 2016, and Summer Jazz Ijen Banyuwangi on July 30th, September 10th, October 22nd 2016.
Angkasa Pura Airport also seeks to accommodate the direction of Tourism Minister Arief Yahya related to airport development such as integration of mature planning between short, medium and long term. Related to the rapid exit taxiway of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Bali Airport, it will be considered to be included in the short term plan and the second runaway into the long term plan.
Infrastructure development continues to run in several airports under Angkasa Pura Airports management such as Ahmad Yani Airport Semarang, Syamsudin Noor Airport Banjarmasin, Yogyakarta International Airport, Sultan Hasanuddin Airport Makassar and I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport and targeted to be completed in 2018 and 2019.
In addition Angkasa Pura Airport has also stimulated the airline to continue to develop its flight path to and from the airports under the management of Angkasa Pura Airport by providing incentives of landing costs up to 100% for 6 months for new flight routes of Frans Kaisiepo Biak Airport, Pattimura Ambon Airport and El Tari Kupang Airport. The Angkasa Pura Airport incentive is valid for 6 months, effective as of October 2016. Landing fee of 50 % for 6 months is also given to airlines that open new routes for Denpasar, Surabaya, Balikpapan, Makassar, Jogjakarta, Manado, Lombok, Solo and Banjarmasin.
“This is Angkasa Pura Airport’s commitment in providing services to airlines as business partners as well as to continue to increase the number of passenger Air Transport services in the country, “ said Danang S. Baskoro. “Through this coordination of connectivity, it is expected to increase the synergy between the Ministry of Tourism as regulator and Angkasa Pura Airports as Airport operators involved in the development of tourism, especially in the field of air connectivity, “said Danang S. Baskoro. [AD]
