Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, on Saturday announced his decision to limit the number of tourists visiting Borobudur Temple, Central Java, to 1,200 per day.
The regulation limiting visitor numbers has come with a new tariff for entrance tickets—US$100 or around Rp1.4 million for foreign tourists and Rp750 thousand for domestic tourists.
"We also agreed to limit the tourist quota to 1,200 people per day, at a cost of US$100 for foreign tourists and Rp750 thousand for domestic tourists. For students, we only charge them Rp5,000," Pandjaitan posted on his personal Instagram account @luhut.pandjaitan on Saturday.
He said that the step has been carried out solely for the sake of preserving the historical and cultural wealth of the country. All tourists will also have to use a local tour guide from the Borobudur area or nearby, he added.
"We do this to absorb new jobs while growing a sense of belonging in this region so that a sense of responsibility for the historical sites can continue to thrive in the future's younger generation," Pandjaitan said.
Baca juga: Delapan seniman Bali pamerkan karya di kawasan Borobudur
The government is also working with several parties to develop the new concept of Borobudur Temple as an international cultural heritage conservation laboratory, he informed. He also reaffirmed the synergy between conservation and tourism parties through the single authority agency is meant to enhance the quality of Borobudur Temple as a tourist destination.
Furthermore, Pandjaitan assured that the principles of blue, green, and circular economy have begun to be implemented in accordance with President Joko Widodo’s directives.
Starting Saturday (June 4, 2022), a trial of electric shuttle buses for tourism vehicles has been launched, he said. The electric shuttle buses will travel the Borobudur-Malioboro-Prambanan route, he informed.