Travel has been restricted in this part of Indonesia for a long period first due to insurgency and later – because of the devastation of the coastal areas caused by the 2004's tsunami. Due to these factors as well as rather a scarce transport connectivity, the region remains largely unexplored by tourists.
The major issues hindering development of tourism in the region are
– Poor accessibility for tourists – there are direct flights to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Singapore, but no air links to Thailand, e.g. popular Phuket that could serve a convenient gateway to the wonders of the province
– Lack of human resorces – the consequences of the tsunami that killed over 160,000 people are still palpable there
– Narrow offer of toursm packages – while there are already some, diversification is highly required.
Yet the province has a lot to offer to inquisitive visitors. It is home to the largest portion of Gunung Leuser National Park that provides habitat for many endangered species, including the Sumatran Tiger and forest Rhinoceros. Together with Bukit Barisan Selatan and Kerinci Seblat National Parks, Gunung Leuser NP forms a World Heritage Site, The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.
Aceh, Sumatra Invites Tourists to Visit
News in Asia
Great tourism potential of Aceh, Sumatra's northwestern province, was in the focus of attention during the Aceh Sumatra Expo (ASPO) 2019, organized by the Aceh Tourism and Culture Agency held last week in Jakarta, Indonesia.