Forever the first. And probably for some time to come. Swissôtel Nusantara is the first hotel to open its doors in the new Indonesian capital, which was inaugurated on 17 August. Celebrating 79e anniversary of the country's independence gave President Joko Widodo the opportunity to give substance to his major project before handing over the reins of state to Prabowo Subianto in October. The moving the capital from JakartaThis is the first time in history that the island of Borneo and the province of East Kalimantan have been joined.
A new government centre in the heart of the archipelago, ville-fôret Sustainable and futuristic - although, according to its detractors, 70% of the city should be made up of green spaces and 100% of its energy should come from renewable sources, its emergence will require massive deforestation - the city known by the diminutive name of IKN, for Ibu Kota Negara, "the national capital" in Indonesian, embodies the ambitions of the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision. A country that, according to its promoter, intends to become the fourth largest economy in the world, one hundred years after its independence.
By that time, Nusantara could be home to almost two million people. But there are still a long way to go by then, as the city is currently only 15% away from completion. While the presidential palace in the shape of a garuda, the mythical eagle emblem of Indonesia, has been completed, as have certain ministries, the transfer from Jakarta has not yet been made official. It will be up to the future president to sign the decree launching the move of the capital and its cohort of civil servants. Housing, shops, offices, infrastructure: the new metropolis is still at the vast construction site stage. And its complete construction - estimated to cost between 35 and 40 billion dollars - is still on hold, as the expected foreign investment is not yet flowing.
Infrastructure is also being developed to welcome visitors. Located close to the presidential palace, the Swissôtel Nusantara is currently the only stopping-off point for visitors with 191 rooms and five meeting rooms for up to 190 people. A top-of-the-range hotel in the Accor group, its "Swissness" blends in with the surrounding luxuriant nature, offering travellers a relaxing place to stay with several swimming pools, a Pürovel spa and fitness area, and a restaurant, the NUSA, serving both local and international cuisine.
New hotels and an airport in the pipeline
Others are expected to join in the near future, the development of the future capital's hotel capacity is an essential point. This year, because of the limited facilities available, invitations to the festivities had to be limited to 1,300 people, compared with the 8,000 initially planned. The festivities did, however, give Joko Widodo the opportunity to lay the foundation stone for a Swiss-Belhotel hotel, which should offer 197 new rooms within a year and a half. At the same time, work on the international congress centre and the Nusantara hotel has also been launched by the current President. Will they be ready in time for next year's celebration of the country's 80 years of independence? Nothing is less certain.
Among the other groups expected to visit Nusantara, Marriott announced in September 2023 the development of three hotels in Indonesia's new capital, in partnership with local developer PT. Pakuwon Jati Tbk. These include a 300-room Four Points by Sheraton on the mid-range side, a top-of-the-range Westin hotel with 200 rooms and numerous restaurants, bars and meeting spaces and, in a more lifestyle style, a Tribute Portfolio hotel with 150 rooms and suites.
What remains to be done is to attract their customers. Because the city's accessibility is another sticking point. Getting to Nusantara is still an obstacle course. For example, the motorway between the new capital and the coastal town of Balikpapan, the main gateway with its international airport, is still under construction. In time, it should reduce the journey time to Nusantara to 45 minutes, compared with around two hours today.
But you still have to get there. Despite its international name, Balikpapan's Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan airport does not have the following facilities few direct connections outside Indonesiawith Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Hence the need to fly via Jakarta or Denpasar, a journey time of around twelve hours from China, Australia or Thailand, depending on the length of the stopover. As for domestic flights, demand often exceeds the frequencies offered due to the increase in activities linked to the relocation of the Indonesian capital.
Ultimately, however, IKN should have its own airport Work began on the new terminal in November 2023, which will feature a 7350 m² terminal and a runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft. Initially scheduled to welcome the first landings on August 1, ahead of the inauguration festivities, its launch has been postponed to early September. This will initially be for single-aisle aircraft.
