Indonesia’s main tourist island, Bali, wants to build a second airport in order to double its tourist intake from 10 million a year now to 20 million by 2025.
A new airport would also help ease growing pressure on the single-runway Ngurah Rai International Airport, which may reach full capacity in five to 10 years.
The island’s government is inviting local and foreign investors to build the second airport, reports The Straits Times, and may hold a competitive bidding process if more than one investor is interested.
"We leave it to the corporate sector or the provincial government to build a second airport in Bali," Hadi Mustafa Djuaraid, a close aide to the transport minister, told The Straits Times. "Foreign investors, as stipulated by the regulation, can own up to 49% in the project."
Agus Santoso, a Transport Ministry director in charge of overseeing Indonesia’s airports, said some investors have already carried out feasibility studies, but none has expressed strong commitment to proceed.
"We have earmarked three locations acceptable for airport construction in Buleleng in North Bali," Santoso said.
Photograph: Bali hopes to draw more tourists to its temples and scenery (Asiasuzukiconferencebali.org)
