Nabiila Azzahra A, Jakarta – The Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) has revealed that the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) is now attracting about 3,000 to 5,000 visitors daily. This influx comprises both domestic and international tourists, as well as prospective investors.
Lazuardi Nasution, OIKN Director of Investment and Business Convenience, shared this insight during a presentation on IKN's development progress at the ESG Symposium 2024 in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. "IKN is now open to visitors, and there are around 3,000 to 5,000 visitors daily. So we believe that IKN is one of the tourist destinations," he emphasized.
Danis Sumadilaga, Head of the IKN Infrastructure Development Implementation Task Force, confirmed the high number of visitors, classifying them as both domestic and international tourists. "Yes, they can be considered tourists," he told Tempo, adding that the diverse visitor profile includes both leisure travelers and potential investors.
Currently, the journey from Balikpapan to IKN, located between Kutai Kartanegara Regency and North Penajam Paser Regency in East Kalimantan, takes approximately two and a half hours by conventional road. However, OIKN is actively constructing a toll road to reduce travel time.
Lazuardi revealed that the toll road project is nearly 80% complete, promising a journey time of around 45 to 50 minutes between Balikpapan and IKN upon its completion, which is anticipated for December.
"The toll road is under construction, while the Pulau Balang Toll Road remains operational, with intermittent closures to accommodate IKN guests and events," he explained.
OIKN has set an investment target of US$32 billion, with 20% sourced from the state budget and the remaining 80% secured through direct investments and public-private partnerships (KPBU).
By 2045, IKN is expected to accommodate a population of four million residents, distributed across three cities: Balikpapan, Samarinda, and IKN itself. The projected distribution is two million residents in IKN, one million in Samarinda, and one million in Balikpapan.
Lazuardi also highlighted the presence of a five-star hotel in IKN, the Hotel Swissotel Nusantara with 191 rooms, including VIP and presidential suites. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated this hotel on September 13, 2024. Owned by the Nusantara Consortium, a group of domestic investors led by Agung Sedayu Group Founder Sugianto Kusuma, the Swissotel Nusantara is the first five-star hotel in IKN.