Ministry Of Public Works and Human Settlements Completes 263 Residential Facilities For Tourism In Manado-Likupang

JAKARTA - The Ministry Of Public Works and Human Settlements (PUPR) continues to carry out arrangements in five super-priority destinations, one of which is Manado-Likupang. The aim is to support economic recovery in the tourism sector. Under the command of Basuki Hadimuljono, The ministry of PUPR has completed the renovation and rehabilitation of 263 housing units in the tourist area.

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the tourism shelter was made with a business function in Manado-Likupang. The construction was carried out in three villages, namely Marinsow, Pulisan, Kinunang, and one District on Bunaken Island.

"These houses can be used as homestays and other tourism support businesses", he said in his official statement, Thursday, March 11.

In addition, the PUPR Ministry has also finished handling the quality improvement of 225 housing units without business functions along the corridor to the Likupang KSPN location. In total, the budget for house renovation and rehabilitation for the Tourism Shelter Facilities (Sarhunta) Program in North Sulawesi Province is IDR 36.60 billion.

The government has set four main focuses for the 2021 FY policy, namely health services, social protection, economic recovery, and structural reforms. To support economic recovery, especially in the tourism sector, Basuki ensured that his ministry would continue to implement arrangements in the five Priority Super Priority Tourism Destinations (DPSP), namely Lake Toba, Borobudur, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, and Manado-Likupang.

"The government believes that the main economic sector that can rebound quickly is the tourism sector", he said.

Basuki said that one of the efforts made to encourage the recovery of the tourism sector was the implementation of the Program to Improve the Quality of Self-Help Houses to Support Tourism, also known as Tourism Shelter Facilities (Sarhunta).

Sarhunta's designs reflect local customs. The design can be modified to be more modern but does not leave local wisdom in an effort to attract domestic and foreign tourists to stay overnight. Homestay at Super Priority Tourism Destinations (DPSP) Manado-Likupang has started to be rented at a rate of IDR 200 thousand per night.

Furthermore, he said, this program aims to improve the quality of houses to become livable and at the same time encourage the community's economy. For this reason, in its implementation, this program consists of 2 main activities, namely improving the quality of houses with business functions and improving the quality of houses without business functions.

"The PUPR Ministry will renovate residents' houses to make them suitable as homestays in tourist areas so that local people are not only spectators but can enjoy the tourism cake", he said.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of Housing of the Ministry of PUPR, Khalawi Abdul Hamid, hopes that the Sarhunta program can support tourism recovery. This includes encouraging the improvement of the welfare of people who are also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The criteria for beneficiaries for the Sarhunta Program are Indonesian citizens (WNI) who are married, own uninhabitable houses and land with proof of ownership.

"The highest earner is equal to the income limit of the recipient of housing finance assistance based on self-help housing development, and is committed to supporting tourism activities", he explained.