Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com 18 OCTOBER 2019 D AY 3 TRAVEL WEEKLY ASIA I T B A S I A S H O W D A I L I E S 12 Seismic change ahead By Brooke Thio All eyes are on Lake Toba as the top-priority tourist destination undergoes fast-track development I ndonesia's Lake Toba is gearing up to welcome more foreign visitors, with developments already underway to enhance accessibility and amenities at the world's largest volcanic lake. These include an expansion of Silangit International Airport in the south and a new toll road from provincial capital Medan that will cut travel time to the town of Parapat, on the lake's eastern shores, to just two hours when it is completed in 2021. Of Indonesia's 10 National Tourism Strategic Areas (KSPN) planned for development by 2024, popularly known as the 10 New Balis project, Lake Toba is one of four "Super Priority" destinations and has so far been allocated Rp 3.5 trillion (US$249 million) in government funding. "This budget is the largest compared to the other Super Priority destinations. In addition to accelerating infrastructure for tourism, the funding will go to programmes for developing 3A (Attractions, Accessibility, and Amenities) on Lake Toba," shared Minister of WHAT'S NEW Caffeine kick Get hands-on with coffee farming and processing at Humbang Organik, a coffee co-operative that prides itself on its wild kopi luwak, collected from civet cats that were released from cages to roam freely in local Arabica plantations. Visitors can even hand- roast and brew their own coffee beans. A glimpse of Batak treasures The Batak Museum at TB Silalahi Center shines a light on local Batak heritage and houses rare collections of Batak artefacts, many of which were transported to Europe during the Dutch colonial era. Its most impressive exhibit is a huta, or village, comprising centuries- old Batak Toba houses that were donated to the museum. Sounds heavenly The village of Sitampurung is known for its bell foundries, where church bells are cast, tuned, and polished for the many churches around Lake Toba. While here, visitors will gain insight into the history of Christianity in the region and how it has flourished. 15.8 15.8 million foreign visitors to Indonesia in 2018, with 250,000 to North Sumatra 500,000 500,000 target number of foreign visitors to North Sumatra by 2023 26 28 potential tourist attractions identified for development in Lake Toba HOT NUMBERS Agent's Take "We currently receive customers who are mainly drawn to Lake Toba's natural beauty and can compromise on comfort. With the upcoming resort and cultural tourism developments, we're excited to offer more attractive packages to more tourists." - Anthony Fransisko Siallagan, CEO & founder, Toni Tour & Travel Tourism of Indonesia Arief Yahya. While the bulk of tourists flock to Parapat as the main ferry port to Samosir Island, the June 2018 sinking of the ferry MV Sinar Bangun led to a drop in visitor numbers, with a total of 250,000 arrivals in 2018. To allay safety concerns, Indonesia's Ministry of Transportation is deploying four newly built ferries to the lake, one of which is already in operation. April saw the inauguration of The Kaldera Toba Nomadic Escape, a massive 386.7-hectare resort development that, according to Indonesia's Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, has already secured approximately Rp 6 trillion in foreign investment. The resort area is located less than an hour away from Parapat and overlooks Sigapiton Valley, where a traditional village is being integrated as a cultural tourism attraction. It will feature glamping-style A demonstration of how Batak ulos, a garment rich with symbolism, is traditionally woven. accommodations like bubble tents and caravan sites, as well as adventure activities such as canoeing, ziplining, and paragliding. Local authorities are also working to promote sustainable tourism attractions in other parts of Lake Toba by offering experiences at pineapple, rice, and coffee farms. More recently, in September's Asia Pacific Geopark Network (APGN) symposium in Lombok, it was announced that Lake Toba will be officially inducted into the UNESCO Global Geopark Network, making it the fifth geopark in Indonesia after Mount Batur in Bali, Ciletuh and Gunung Sewu in Java, and Mount Rinjani in Lombok. Founder of Humbang Organik coffee co-operative, Gani Silaban, shows the different stages of coffee bean processing. VISIT: BOOTH G05

• Cover