Gov’t Supports Tourism Sector Recovery Through Sarhunta Program

A mockup on Sarhunta Development. (Photo by: Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing)

The Government through Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing continually supports economic recovery, particularly in the tourism sector, by developing infrastructure in five super-priority National Tourism Strategic Areas (KSPN), namely Lake Toba, Borobudur Temple, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, and Manado-Likupang.

According to Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, the Government will push forward the implementation of Tourism Accommodation Facilities (Sarhunta) program to attract tourists.

The Minister added that the sector that could rebound quickly in this new normal era was the tourism sector. Thus, no development activities in the five KSPNs that were stopped.

The Sarhunta Program is a series of activities of self-help housing assistance (BSPS) program for 2,750 uninhabitable housing units to be used as homestays. The design must reflect the local customs. However, it can be modified to make the homestays look more modern but still maintain the traditional nuances so that domestic and foreign tourists are attracted to stay.

Through this program, the Government will rehabilitate 1,000 housing units in Lake Toba (North Sumatra Province), 350 units in Borobudur (Central Java Province), 500 units in Mandalika (West Nusa Tenggara Province) , 600 units in Labuan Bajo (East Nusa Tenggara Province) , and 300 units in Manado-Likupang (North Sulawesi Province) . The total budget of the program reaches Rp 429.23 billion.

This program also aims to improve the quality of uninhabitable houses to become livable houses and to improve the quality of uninhabitable houses along the road to the tourist destinations. Of the total funds, around Rp 90 million is allocated for housing quality improvement and Rp 180 million is allocated for the construction of new houses, as well as rebuilding or rehabilitating traditional houses in the tourism area.

In West Nusa Tenggara Province, the Sarhunta program is carried out in two locations, namely Mandalika in Central Lombok Regency and Lombok’s three Gilis in North Lombok Regency. In Central Lombok Regency, housing quality improvement is carried out to 63 housing units and there is also new construction of 59 housing units. In addition, 208 houses on the main route to the tourism destinations will also be renovated.

In Lombok’s three Gilis, there are 170 units in total. 18 out of 170 are included in housing quality improvement program, while 54 units are newly constructed, and 98 units are still at the verification stage.

For the record, the criteria for the beneficiaries are:  married Indonesian citizens, own uninhabitable houses or land with proof of ownership, earn income 1.5 times the UMP (Provincial Minimum Wage ), in maximum, and t capable to be self-reliance and able to cooperate. In addition, the construction will be assisted by three experts, including an empowerment expert, a civil engineering expert, and an architecture expert. (BKP Kementerian PUPR/EN)

Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by: Mia Medyana