REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) has encouraged investment in tourism and labor-intensive sectors in the central and eastern regions of Indonesia.
"These two sectors are the chief drivers of economic growth," BKPM Chief Franky Sibarani said in a press statement made available to Antara on Saturday (24/5).
He added that tourism is the fastest-growing sector with regard to earning foreign exchange and boosting people's activities in creative economic fields, including in the culinary arts, manufacture of handicrafts, hospitality, and others.
The labor-intensive sector that employs a large number of workers, such as the textile and textile products industry, footwear industry, and fish processing industry, also witnesses a similar trend.
"Bali enjoys the benefits of tourism. We hope the provinces of West and East Nusa Tenggara also follow the same road, which is why the government gives priority to the tourism sector in the economy," Sibarani explained.
The BKPM chief revealed that the board had set itself a target of achieving an investment of Rp519.5 trillion in 2015.
Some Rp282.6 trillion of the investment target is set for Java, Rp19 trillion for Bali and Nusa Tenggara, and Rp33.2 trillion for Papua.
It was reported earlier that some Rp27.8 trillion of the investment will be made in Sulawesi, Rp75.2 trillion in North Sumatra, Rp75 trillion in Kalimantan, and 7.2 trillion in Maluku.
He further noted that a number of regions such as Bali had developed their tourism sector well. "Identifying ways to improve the quality through synergy between the tourism sector and creative industries remains to be done," Sibarani pointed out.
He also stated that West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) were good locations to develop the labor-intensive sector.
NTB has the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (KEK) that can absorb some 58,700 workers when its construction is completed.
"Java is developing the Tanjung Lesung Tourism KEK in Banten; Papua has the Teluk Bintuni industrial zone; West Papua has the new Raja Ampat KEK; and there are many others," he remarked.
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