Government Supports Bali Maritime Tourism Hub Welcomes Increase In Tourists

JAKARTA - The government supports the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub (BMTH) as a breakthrough strategy to welcome the increase in foreign tourists from sea routes.

The support was conveyed by the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga in a Stakeholder Focus Group Discussion (FGD) entitled Cruise Resumption in Indonesia and Port of Benoa as Home Port at Benoa Cruise Terminal Benoa Harbor, Bali, Sunday, December 5.

"With the opening of international flights, in fact, it has not been able to boost the growth of the tourism sector on the island of Bali. Therefore, we need alternative tourism gateways that we must optimize, one of which is the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub (BMTH)," said Sandiaga Uno in a written statement quoted by Antara, Monday. , December 6th.

Sandiaga Uno supports joint efforts to revive Bali's tourism economy. According to him, Bali as the heart of Indonesian tourism, where most of its citizens depend on the tourism sector, requires strategic breakthroughs between stakeholders.

Secretary of the Deputy for Infrastructure and Connectivity of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment Eng Lukijanto added that the BMTH development currently being carried out by Pelindo must receive an accelerated strategy so that it can be used appropriately and efficiently.

"In the last three years the Kemenkomarves formed a team to accelerate the development of BMTH and cruise ship handling, this is a form of our serious support in optimizing tourism in Bali, especially for BMTH," he explained.

Meanwhile, Senior Manager Port Operations Southeast Asia Royal Caribbean Group James Ngui revealed that strict regulations and mutual accommodation between cruise agents (cruise agents) and the Government of Indonesia were needed so that efforts to increase tourists through cruise ships could be excited again.

"For example, related to the rules for the quarantine period of tourists," he added.

On the other hand, PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero) or Pelindo is optimistic that it will welcome and serve the arrival of cruise ships.

Pelindo Managing Director Putut Sri Muljanto explained that in 2019 the data on cruise ship visits to the island of Bali was very high, but the pandemic period prevented cruise ships from making visits to Indonesia, especially to Bali.

In the future, the new normal conditions that are prepared together are expected to be able to encourage cruise ship visits which had stopped.

"We need to close our hands in collaboration between stakeholders so that what we have prepared so far through the construction of the BMTH can have an impact on increasing tourist visits in Indonesia," he said.

Previously, the Ministry of SOEs through Pelindo built BMTH as a tourism port hub in Indonesia at Benoa Harbor, Bali. BMTH is targeted to be fully completed by mid 2023

With the concept of developing Butterfly Route tourism and providing MSME facilities at BMTH, it is hoped that its presence can improve the Indonesian economy in terms of marine tourism.