Ngardmau State Governor Akiko Sugiyama in an interview Tuesday said the improvement of the area is their next major project after they complete the ongoing Botanical Garden and Cultural Center project in their place.
“We cannot yet develop the area since our focus now is to finish the botanical garden and the cultural center,” she disclosed.
According to Sugiyama, the botanical garden and cultural center, whose construction was started last year, are slated to be finished a year or two from now.
“I think by 2011 or 2012 we can now start developing the area around the waterfalls,” she said.
Sugiyama stated that the state government was moved to develop the area around the waterfalls because it sees its potential as a tourist come-on.
“The potential for more tourists going to our place because of the waterfalls is great. Though the area around the falls is not yet developed, many foreign visitors have been going here to look into and visit the majestic falls,” she disclosed.
The governor revealed that the development plan for the waterfalls would involve several phase-by-phase construction projects.
Sugiyama disclosed that among the improvements that they are looking to implement in the area is the building of additional cottages.
There are already several cottages found along the way to the waterfalls, but according to the governor, they are already in bad shape and could not accommodate increasing number of visitors.
“We will build several more cottages, while the existing cottages will be renovated,” she declared.
The governor added that they also plan to landscape the area and set up a monorail that will make travel to and from the waterfalls area easier.
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway.
“The monorail will make the place more accessible to tourists,” she pointed out.
While the state will be at the forefront of the planned development project, Sugiyama revealed that a private investor is already working to develop part of the area.
According to her, there is an ongoing construction of a zip-line in the area. The project is funded by a South Korean investor to the tune of $1.5 million.
Completion of the zip-line project would see four viewing platforms where tourists can view the waterfalls and different birds and other creatures found within the largest rainforest in Palau, it was learned.
The governor said that based on estimates they need several hundred thousand dollars to develop the area.
“The amount is too big for us to foot alone. We are looking into investors from other countries to help us with the project,” Sugiyama said.
Aside from potential foreign investors, she said that they are also looking into assistance that will be extended by the national government.
“There is already and assurance from the national government that it will assist us in such endeavor,” she said.
Sugiyama said that the state government and the people of Ngardmau are bound to benefit once the project will push through and be completed.
Ngardmau State has a population of more than 300 people.
“More tourists will be coming to our place and that means more money for the state government and the people here,” she pointed out.
Data furnished by the state government shows that more than a thousand tourists visit Ngardmau every month. Majority of these tourists come from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and the United States. The rest are from Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, and other European countries.
“We are looking into double that number once the area will be developed,” she concluded.
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