REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SORONG -- The Indonesian government is developing an airport in Misol Sub-District, Raja Ampat District, West Papua Province, to support the tourism industry.

Misol had several beautiful tourist destinations; hence, it needs supporting infrastructure, such as an airport, to boost its tourism industry, Faris Umlati, the district head of Raja Ampat, said here, Tuesday.

The local administration has allocated a plot of land measuring three thousand meters in the Limalas area, Misol, for the development of the airport.

"The construction of the Misol airport is currently underway, and it will be optimized during the 2018 budget year," he remarked.

Misol airport will be more centrally located than the Waisai airport in the Raja Ampat district capital, he said.

Its construction is expected to be completed in 2018, and the airport will begin operations in 2019, he added.

The authorities have completed the environmental impact assessment of the Misol airport project, which is supported by the local people.

"In addition to the airport, other infrastructure will also be built to support tourism in Misol," he said.

Located in the Coral Triangle, the heart of the world's coral reef biodiversity, between the Pacific and Indian oceans in eastern Indonesia's West Papua Province, Raja Ampat has crystal-clear turquoise waters and isles that are covered by thick green carpets of dense forests and mangrove swamps.

The Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat, fondly known as the "living Eden" or "paradise on Earth," used to be a lesser-known tourist spot, familiar only to intrepid travelers and avid divers.

However, reaching Raja Ampat can be time-consuming and expensive due to its relatively poor infrastructure and transportation facilities.

In a bid to provide easy access to Raja Ampat, the government has currently launched key infrastructure projects on the islands.

Misol Isle is considered to be the most scenic among the isles scattered in the Raja Ampat waters.

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