Big ships forced to bypass Bali
The slow development of port facilities in Indonesia’s major tourism destinations is being blamed for a decline in foreign cruise ship calls.
Recent data compiled by the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry shows 266 cruise calls have been confirmed for 2014, down from the 310 calls made this year.
The ministry’s MICE and special interest tourism marketing director, Rizki Handayani, said the slowdown was caused by port infrastructure bottlenecks, preventing cruise liners, particularly those operating voyager vessels carrying more than 3,000 passengers, to enter the port.
“Cruise operators are establishing cruise itineraries a year to two years in advance. But if we’re unable to fulfill our promise to further develop the ports when they are about to publish their itineraries, they will not include Indonesia in their map,” Rizki told the Jakarta Post.
Rizki said one large player wanting to dock at one of ports across the archipelago was Voyager of the Seas, which carries about 5,000 passengers.
“They’ve contacted us, saying they want to explore Indonesian destinations, especially Bali.
“Unfortunately, today we do not have port facilities that can accommodate a cruise ship as big as Voyager of the Seas,” she said.
Ian Jarrett
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