VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) is designing a master plan to develop a new tourist attraction in Ubud, Bali, on the lines of China’s Forbidden City.

"Bappenas is formulating a master plan to help Bali," the agency’s chief, Suharso Monoarfa, who is also Minister of National Development and Planning, informed at an online press conference here on Monday.

Bappenas is in the process of formulating the master plan in collaboration with the Gianyar district government and customary figures in Ubud, which is known as a village of foreign tourists.

He said Bappenas aims to complete the master plan in the first semester of 2021.

However, he refused to divulge the exact location for the new tourist attraction that will come up in Ubud area, which is located 22 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Denpasar.

The plan to develop the ‘forbidden city’ is aimed at supporting quality tourism, which is expected to replace mass tourism, the minister said.

A new tourist attraction will offer cultural tourism to a select number of tourists, or exclusive tourism in collaboration with micro, small, and medium enterprises, he added.

Bali, which is rich in natural and cultural tourism, appeared to be more prepared to develop a new tourist attraction because it serves as a barometer of national tourism, he remarked. (antaranews)