PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan attended the opening of the IKEA pop-up store at King's Shopping Center, which is considered to be the first step in reviving economic activity in downtown areas such as Kepatihan, Dalem Kaum, and Asia Afrika (16/4/2026).

The presence of this retail is expected to attract visitors and investors so that the old trading center in Bandung City will be revived.

Muhammad Farhan said that currently retail activity in the city center area is only running at around 50 percent of its potential.

"Asia Africa is currently only thriving in hotels. Retail is still underdeveloped. This is an iconic area that should be a magnet for the economy and tourism," said Muhammad Farhan.

He considered King's Shopping Center to be an example of a point that was starting to develop again, so he hoped it would trigger the revival of other trading areas in the surrounding area.

Muhammad Farhan emphasized that the local government will simplify the licensing process for business actors who want to invest in the city center.

"We want all business owners to feel like things are being made easy. Once the requirements are met, we will issue permits quickly. This is crucial for revitalizing the region, which has been sluggish," said Muhammad Farhan.

The Bandung City Government is also preparing a strategy for gradually developing the city center area after the Kosambi Simpang Lima development project is completed in about a year.

The next arrangement will focus on the Asia Africa corridor by improving the appearance of buildings, cleaning up vandalism, and monitoring public facilities.

"We will clean up the building's appearance, remove any vandalism, and maintain it. If anyone damages it, we will take action. This is part of rebuilding trust in the downtown area," said Muhammad Farhan.

This step is expected to create a cleaner, safer, and more attractive area, thereby encouraging economic growth and increasing the tourist appeal of Bandung City.

(Bandung City Communications and Information Service/bhf)