SEAPLANES TO REINFORCE INDONESIAN TOURISM

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 12 (Antara) - In a bid to support the development of tourism, Indonesia, comprising over 17 thousand islands but still lacking adequate number of airports, plans to operate seaplanes to serve its tourism destinations.          The government is also currently preparing regulations on operating amphibious aircraft that could serve as a means of public transportation and support development of the tourism industry in the country.          Last January, a seaplane had been readied to transport foreign tourists from Batam Island near Singapore to one of the country's famous tourism destinations: Pulau Bawah Resort in Riau Islands Province.          The plan to operate amphibious aircraft was recently disclosed by Chairman of the Maritime Tourism Development Acceleration Team Indroyono Soesilo. For instance, an amphibious aircraft type Viking Twin Otter-400 seaplane, with aircraft code DHC-400, was ready to transport tourists to Pulau Bawah Resort from the Hang Nadim Airport of Batam.