Visiting Using A Pinisi Ship, Moeldoko Values The Potential For Bima NTB Tourism To Sleep

KSP Moeldoko performed work on Pink Island and Kelapa Island, Bima district, NTB, Thursday (23/5). (Ist)

BIMA - Presidential Chief of Staff (KSP) Moeldoko said Bima Regency in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has potential tourism attraction but is like a giant sleeping due to lack of access and infrastructure.

This was said by Moeldoko during a working visit using a Pinisi ship to Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and Bima Regency, NTB, Thursday, May 23. Moeldoko reviewed the development of tourism potential for Padar Island and Komodo Island in the Komodo National Park area, as well as Pink Beach and Kelapa Island in Lambbu village, Bima district. On this trip, I saw firsthand the great potential that is owned by Pink Beach and Kelapa Island. Its beauty is extraordinary, but unfortunately it has not been utilized optimally as the main tourist destination," said Moeldoko in a written statement, Friday, May 24.

Pink Beach, with its unique pink sand, as well as Kelapa Island which is rich in marine biodiversity, has its own attractiveness for tourists. However, Moeldoko highlighted several problems that became the main obstacle to the development of these two places as excellent tourist destinations.

"We need to improve accessibility and infrastructure at Pink Beach and Kelapa Island. This is important so that tourists can more easily reach the location and enjoy the natural beauty offered. If this happens, I believe Bima will become a more popular tourist destination," he said.

The 2013-2015 TNI Commander is committed to encouraging tourism development in Bima by involving various parties, including local governments, business actors, and the local community. He believes that with improved access and infrastructure, as well as aggressive promotions, Pink Beach and Kelapa Island will become tourist destinations that are no less attractive than other places in Indonesia.

"We must work together to wake up the potential for tourism to fall asleep in Bima so that it can provide economic benefits for local governments, especially local communities," said Moeldoko.

Bima Regency, especially the Sape and Lambu sub-districts, in Presidential Decree No. 32/2018 concerning the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Area Management Authority Agency is designated as part of the Komodo National Strategic Area (KSN). So that in the implementation of more advanced and sustainable tourism development, coordination, synchronization, and facilitation of planning, mining, management, and control in tourism areas in the Labuan Bajo area and its surroundings.

Through this Presidential Regulation, the local government hopes that the presence of the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Area Management Authority will be able to boost Bima district tourism. Not only is it a buffer, but it is the main goal, like Komodo," said Secretary of the Bima Regency Tourism Office, Masykur.

According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of West Nusa Tenggara, the number of tourists visiting Bima in 2023 increased by 15% compared to the previous year. However, most tourists only passed Bima on their way to other destinations, such as Labuan Bajo and Komodo Island.

"Pantasi Pink dan Pulau Kelapa masih kalah bersaing dengan destinasi wisata lain di Indonesia. Padahal, jika dikelola dengan baik, kedua tempat ini memiliki potensi besar untuk menarik lebih banyak wisatawan, baik domestik maupun mancanegara," terang Masykur.

In addition to seeing firsthand the potential for natural tourism at Pink Beach and Kelapa Island, Moeldoko also symbolically planted coconut trees in the two places. "The spirit of waking the fallen giants is starting from planting this coconut tree," concluded Moeldoko.