Indonesia has become one of tourist destinations for cruise ships (cruise) overseas. Moreover, Indonesia is an archipelago that has a high potential for marine tourism. Lately, more and more of the world cruise ship operator interest in Indonesia.
“There was an increase from year to year. In 2011 178 cruise ship calls. For the year 2012 reached 215,” said Marketing Director of Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Noviendi Makalam a news conference in Sapta Pesona Building, Jakarta. Unlike other tour packages, cruise tour route has been prepared since two years ago. Thus, the number of cruise ship visits for 2011 and 2012 can already be known early.
Some of these cruise ship passengers can carry up to 2,000 people. In fact, mega yacht cruise or new generation capacity over many never come to Indonesia. One is the Rhapsody of The Seas of Royal Caribbean International with a capacity of 2453 passengers had landed in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. According to the Director General of Marketing Kembudpar Sapta Nirwandar, revenues from the arrival of cruise ships are very large. Vacationers usually anchored in some tourist areas, such as Bali and NTB. They then went on tour on the ground for 12-24 hours.
Their estimate spend about 50-100 dollars per person. Not to eat during the cruise ships and others. In the long term, the economic impact is huge,” Sapta said. However, further Sapta, the main obstacle is that Indonesia does not have international-standard port for cruise ships.
“We received some feedback from cruise operators. The problem is to start from a very simple, such as the cleanliness of tourist spots, looking for new destinations, and places the ship. If you can not docked, cruise ships have to throw the anchor. passengers ashore by tender boat. This is the fare more expensive, “said Noviendi.
Therefore, the Directorate General of Tourism Marketing Kembudpar will host an international seminar themed “Cruise Development of Indonesia: How to Meet The Challenge of The Increasing Tonnage and Capacity of The Cruise Ships. ” The seminar will take place in the Hall of Soesilo Soedarman, Kembudpar.
In the seminar will discuss how to find solutions to obstacles encountered and ways to increase the number and quality of service to the cruise ship visits to Indonesia. In addition, coordination will be discussed with stakeholders and development to the needs of yacht harbor. » Read more..
MV Volendam cruise ship from the United States are carrying 1600 tourists in his voyage to some countries will stop in a special harbor in Tanah ampo, Karangasem district, in the east Bali, end of this year. “It is the result of talks Regent of Karangasem, I Wayan Geredeg with the president of one cruise ship company based in Miami, United States,” said Head of Culture and Tourism regency of Karangasem, I Wayan Purna.
