With East Kalimantan confirmed as the site of Indonesia’s new capital city, the province is preparing to become the focus of attention for international tourism in the years ahead. In keeping with plans for the new city, the local tourism sector is putting sustainability top of the development agenda.
Key to this sustainable infrastructure will be activities and attractions that forgo mass tourism in favour of meaningful encounters with nature, culture and community. For visitors to Nusantara, that means an appealing combination of beaches, marine life, cultural immersion and exploration, complemented by all the modern comforts and convenience of a cutting-edge metropolis.
Construction of Nusantara began in 2022. The city will be officially inaugurated on the next Indonesian Independence Day – 17 August 2024 – and is expected to be completed by 2045. The new city will cover an area of approximately 2,560 km2 (990 sq mi) and will be surrounded by hills, a forest and a natural bay. The city’s surroundings are a reflection of the ethos that has underpinned its construction: smart design and urban planning, geared towards sustainable integration with nature.
Now, with construction well and truly underway, observers are predicting Nusantara could be the site of one of the world’s biggest-ever tourism booms – some have even suggested the area surrounding the new capital could compete with Bali for the title of Indonesia’s most popular holiday destination.
Certainly, many see this project as a blank slate – a chance to reinvent Indonesia’s image and address some of the logistical challenges that have long held the country back. “This is a rare chance to plan a better and different world class tourism region,” says Juergen Steinmetz, Chairman World Tourism Network. “WTN is excited and ready to be part of this vision,” he added. WTN is currently partnering with officials in East Kalimantan to develop a sustainable tourism ecosystem that’s rooted in local heritage.
Dr Akmal Malik is the Acting Governor of East Kalimantan Province, who has recently hosted a number of foreign dignitaries from ASEAN and tourism development experts from around the world, including WTN, to discuss plans for the new capital. “We need to make the world know about IKN (Ibu Kota Nusantara),” said Dr Akmal, who is adamant the city should represent and give reverence to local culture. “It’s our call of duty to promote IKN and the existing local wisdom and the people of East Kalimantan,” said the Acting Governor.
East Kalimantan is renowned for the rich heritage of its Indigenous Dayak population, along with enormous stretches of rainforest in places like Kutai National Park, which is home to wildlife such as orangutans. Further north, the Derawan Islands are famed for diving and turtle nesting sites. Other nearby islands include Sangalaki, Maratua and Kakaban.
