TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, Luhut Panjaitan, said that the budget to develop five prioritized tourism destinations will not be reduced. The areas are Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Borobudur in Central Java, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, and Likupang in North Sulawesi.

"We have reached an agreement with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani that the development programs for these five tourist destinations—where the Transportation Ministry is involved—will not be cut. They will be included in the multiyear budget," Luhut, currently acting as Transportation Minister in place of Budi Karya Sumadi who is being treated for COVID-19, said in an online meeting with the DPR, Tuesday, April 21.

Luhut said tourism is one of Indonesia's mainstay sectors for boosting the economy. Therefore, the development must go on.

"Tourism is one of the fastest [industries] that can rebound, so it must not be affected by too much," Luhut said as reported by Antara.

The Transportation Ministry has changed its budget posture; lowering its ceiling from Rp43.11 trillion to Rp36.99 trillion. The Ministry has also re-allocated Rp320.7 billion of its budget for fast-tracking Covid-19 relief. The budget is now allocated to procure equipment needed to contain the novel coronavirus transmission.

Antara