East Indonesia region is currently getting serious attention from the government, especially for the infrastructure development sector. Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum dan Perumahan Rakyat Indonesia (PUPR) said that infrastructure development in the Eastern Indonesia region was in accordance with the government’s mandate to advance the regional economy and explore the region’s tourism potential.
Infrastructure development in the Eastern Indonesia region has been running for a number of years, but it has only felt optimal in the last 2-3 years. Some infrastructure development turned out to be able to lift the region’s economy such as the construction of the Skouw Cross-border Post (PLBN), Papua, which is now a new economic center and tourist destination. The development of the Skouw border area continues, namely through the construction of places of worship and the border market with a total of 305 kiosks.
Then the Ministry of PUPR also boosted the construction of a 1,328-meter Hotelkamp bridge with a 732-meter span that connects Jayapura City and Muara Tami District. The presence of this bridge is believed to later provide easier access to the communities of the two regions and most importantly it is easier to move economic mobility.
What is interesting about the construction of this bridge has proven to be able to become a new tourist icon for the people of Jayapura. This added value was not taken into account before and this is arguably a bonus.
In addition infrastructure development is more specifically carried out on Morotai Island, North Maluku, which is considered a strategic area on the Indonesian border and has a great opportunity to become a center of global trade activities and a new economic center in Eastern Indonesia.
The Ministry of PUPR has allocated a budget of Rp. 36.5 billion to develop Morotai infrastructure as a National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN). The funds were used to build a 19.7 km main road that connects Daruba Village to Daeo, Berebere Soffi to Wayabula Village.
In addition, improvements were made to access roads to attractions such as the King’s Waterfall which has now been smoothly paved. Not far away, the Ministry of PUPR also provides Wayabula Green Open Space which is ready to be used by tourists at the end of 2018.