SEAToday.com, Jakarta – The Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN) has reported that the Nusantara Capital City in East Kalimantan is currently attracting up to 5,000 visitors daily.

“The IKN area is now open to the public, and we are seeing approximately 3,000 to 5,000 visitors each day,” stated Lazuardi Nasution, OIKN's Director of Investment and Ease of Doing Business, during the ESG Symposium 2024 event in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He emphasized that the IKN area has been designated as a tourist destination, and his team is committed to accommodating those visiting Indonesia’s new capital in East Kalimantan.

“We consider IKN to be a tourist attraction and are prepared to serve visitors interested in exploring the area,” he added.

To enhance accessibility, the authority is prioritizing the completion of a toll road connecting IKN and Balikpapan. This project aims to reduce travel time from the current 2.5 hours to approximately 45–50 minutes.

“We expect the toll road to be completed by December. Once operational, it will allow travel between Balikpapan and IKN to take just 45 to 50 minutes,” Lazuardi explained.

Meanwhile, access to the Balang Island toll road remains regulated with an open-and-close system, depending on requirements and guest arrivals at IKN.