Maros, South Sulawesi (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Tourism invited delegations from the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) to explore the tourism potential of the Karst and Geopark area of Rammang-Rammang in Maros District, South Sulawesi.
"The Ministry, along with BIMP-EAGA delegates, visited the Rammang-Rammang tourist destination to observe the potential of this site that has gone global," the ministry's Assistant Deputy for International Institutional Relations, Zulkifli Harahap, remarked during the visit here on Saturday.
He stated that the visit aimed to explore opportunities for sustainable tourism development while strengthening cross-border cooperation to promote the world’s third-largest karst area.
He also emphasized the importance of collaboration to promote the tourism sector, which will position Rammang-Rammang as a green and environment-friendly tourism icon in the ASEAN region.
This was affirmed by Head of the Tourism, Youth and Sports Office of Maros District, Suwardi Sawedi.
Sawedi stated that Rammang-Rammang has world-class appeal, especially since it has been recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Rammang-Rammang offers global-level attractions, he added, with its karst landscape, river, and authentic local community life.
Meanwhile, Susan Pudin from the BIMP-EAGA Facilitation Center said that the BIMP-EAGA delegation was interested in the Rammang-Rammang’s concept of community-based tourism, which is run by the locals.
According to her, this approach could serve as a model for other destinations in the region.
The delegation’s visit was also part of the BIMP-EAGA agenda to strengthen cross-border economic and tourism cooperation, with South Sulawesi as one of the key gateways in Eastern Indonesia.
The agenda also involved the Makassar Tourism Polytechnic as a facilitator during the delegation's visit in South Sulawesi.
