REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUPANG -- Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai District's capital, should be developed into a center for cruise tourism. According to East Nusa Tenggara Governor Frans Lebu Raya.
"I hope the development of cruise tourism will be discussed by Indonesia, Australia, and Timor Leste during the golden triangle cooperation meeting in order to make Labuan Bajo the central location on the shipping routes," Raya noted in a statement released by the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government Public Relations Department in Kupang on Friday.
The meeting is the second of its kind after the first was held in Dili on March 30, 2016. Lebu Raya expressed hope that the points discussed during the growth triangle cooperation meeting would be acted upon quickly.
"One of the topics discussed at the meeting was to intensify the development of cruise tourism in Labuan Bajo to transform it into a hub," he remarked.
At a meeting attended by delegations from the three nations, Lebu Raya suggested that each country should set up a supporting group to accelerate the realization of the agreed recommendations.
"Many of the ideas are on paper, but the important aspect is the output and concrete steps. It takes a joint commitment by the three countries to speed up the realization of various agreements," he affirmed.
The governor highlighted the importance of road and air connectivity to boost cooperation between the three countries. Direct flights on the Kupang-Dili-Darwin route should be started immediately.
"Land connectivity should specially be opened between East Nusa Tenggara and Timor Leste. Perum Damri is ready to operate its fleet on the Kupang-Timor Leste route. The establishment of connectivity between the three countries will ease the movement and mobilization of goods and people," Lebu Raya stated.
The governor was also optimistic that cooperation in the livestock sector would boost development and livestock population in the province to meet the needs of domestic and foreign markets.
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