At least 17 new routes have been made available by seven airlines operating at airports under the management of state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II (AP II) in the period of January to June this year.

Two more routes are set to operate soon.

"The new routes have been opened at the airports after AP II offered incentives to airlines that open new routes or increase the flight frequency [on existing routes], including during the Idul Fitri exodus," AP II president director Muhammad Awaluddin said, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

The company is also partnering with the government and tourism businesses to promote tourism destinations, especially in the western part of Indonesia.

AP II and the Tourism Ministry have established the Tourism Information Center (TIC) at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, to provide information for foreign tourists visiting the country.

Awaluddin expressed his optimism that his firm could see up to 100 million passengers fly through its airports this year, with 60 percent to 70 percent of those passengers traveling through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

"We are targeting 4 million foreign tourists to enter the country via AP II airports," he said.

AP II operates 13 airports located in the western part of Indonesia. (prm/bbn)

Editor: Mesti Sinaga