NYIA Will Increase Tourist Arrivals to Borobodur: Minister

Jakarta: Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has expressed optimism that the New Yogyakarta International Airport (NYIA) would help boost the number of tourist arrivals in Borobudur Temple in Central Java.

NYIA will be a solution to increase the number of tourist arrivals to Borobudur Temple and other destinations in Central Java and Yogyakarta. The new airport will be inaugurated in April this year.

According to the government data, Borobodur temple is only visited by around 250 thousand foreign tourists every year. On the other hand, Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia welcomes 2.5 million foreign tourists annually. Both temples are included on the World Heritage List of UNESCO.

"When the new airport operates, my target is two million (foreign tourists) within five years, similar to the number of those visiting Angkor Wat," Yahya said during a coordinating meeting on tourism development at the Vice President's Office in Central Jakarta on, Wednesday.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said one factor behind the low foreign tourist arrivals is the absence of an international airport in proximity to Borobudur Temple. Adisutjipto airport receives six million passengers a year. The capacity of the old airport is only 1.5 million.

Borobudur temple is located in Mendut Village, Magelang district, Central Java Province or around 42 kilometers from the city of Yogyakarta. It was Built during the reign of a king belonging to the Saliendra Dynasty between 750 and 842 AD.

The temple is a massive step pyramid structure made from giant stone blocks. It was built on a hill and is surrounded by valleys and hills.

(WAH)

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