Foreign airlines planning to serve flights to Indonesia's Lake Toba

At least three foreign airlines have been planning to serve flights to part of Indonesia's ultimate tour destinations, Lake Toba in North Sumatra province, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

As the flight services from Singapore's Tiger Air and Silk Air and Malaysian-based Air Asia are discussed by related authorities, the Lake Toba administrative agency is making preparations in Silangit airport to facilitate their flights.

Arie Prasetyo, head of Lake Toba tourism authority, said that the project to lengthen the runway in Silangit airport up to 2,650 meters is underway and expected to be settled in September.

"We already had discussions with Singapore Tourism Board, resulted in assurance that Tiger Air and Silk Air would land in Silangit airport," Arie said on Friday.

Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandes had met Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya for the same purpose, he said.

The airport now serves flights operated by domestic airlines of Sriwijaya Air and Garuda Indonesia which provide scheduled flights to Silangit with Boeing 737-500 and Bombardier CRJ1000 planes respectively.

To provide hotel and supporting accommodations for visitors, Lake Toba tourism authority has prepared 600 hectares of land for investors interested to invest in the tour destination, Arie said.

Lake Toba is a Jurassic one, created from mega volcanic explosions that occurred around 73,000 years ago in Sumatra and left behind a super wide lake with an island at the centre of it.

The lake is 100-kilometers long and 30-kilometers wide. It is the largest one in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia as well. - BERNAMA