Makassar gets more international air connections

22 Jan 2013 13:48:49

traveldailynews.asia

MAKASSAR- For over 15 years now, the tourism industry in Makassar and South Sulawesi (Celebes) was relentless fighting to get international air connections. The fight started after 1998. In the wake of Indonesia's collapsing economy, many airlines were pulling out from the world's largest archipelago. And after trying to fly the route for a couple of years, both Malaysia Airlines and Singapore's Silk Air decided also to stop flying to Ujung Pandang (the former name of Makassar) judging the business unprofitable.

But a decade later, it is all changed. Makassar is indeed the largest city East of Bali. With over 1.4 million inhabitants, Makassar city is now the true gateway to Eastern Indonesia. Business is good, very good : some 3.5 million domestic travellers come to South Sulawesi every year according to estimates from the Province's Central Office of Statistics for 2011.

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