VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Medan Mayor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution and the government's officials observe one of the heritage buildings in Kesawan neighborhood on March 17, 2021. ANTARA/HO

The Medan administration will launch the revitalization of Kesawan City Walk as the city’s iconic culinary and pedestrian hub on Sunday, as the government endeavors to revive Indonesia’s tourism sector battered by COVID-19 since 2020.

“We are launching the revitalization and refurbishment of the Kesawan City Walk on Sunday afternoon. It is part of the city government’s prioritized programs,” Medan Mayor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution remarked.

Revitalizing this city’s vital historical and cultural heritage site was part of the city government’s endeavors to transform Medan into the “Kitchen of Asia”, Nasution noted in a statement that ANTARA quoted here, Saturday.The city government’s efforts garnered support from the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) members since the Kesawan City Walk’s culinary and pedestrian hub would later aid in driving the businesses of local small and medium enterprises, he explained.

The renovation of this iconic tourist site is also projected to contribute to the city government’s regional income revenue, he remarked.

The Kesawan neighborhood area is well-known as one of Medan’s vital historical and cultural heritage sites where domestic and foreign visitors CAN witness up-close ancient structures, including those from the Dutch colonial era.

The revitalization and refurbishment of this Kesawan City Walk is expected to enable Medan to have its culinary brand as the Kitchen of Asia, Nasution affirmed.“From now on, let us brand our culinary richness as the Kitchen of Asia,” President Joko Widodo’s son-in-law stated.

Meanwhile, Head of the Medan city government’s Housing and Spatial Planning Division Benny Iskandar remarked that following the revitalization of the Kesawan City Walk, its corridor of A. Yani Street would be brimming with an array of popular authentic food of the city.

The other corridors will be provided for street performances from various segments of communities in Medan, Iskandar noted.

Indonesia has been striving to win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic since the government officially announced the country's first cases on March 2, 2020.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease has dragged Indonesia into serious public health and economic crises.Tourism has been among the economic sectors severely-affected by COVID-19 in the country//ANT