Govt must act to lure 'foreign cruise ships'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Inbound Tour Operators Club
\nArievaldy Kumarga said on Saturday the government should be more
\nactive in encouraging foreign cruise ship operators to enter
\nIndonesian waters.<\/p>\n
\"The government, and even local tour operators, have rarely
\nparticipated in international tourism promotion events on the
\ncruise travel sector,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said the government should establish adequate facilities,
\nespecially in ports, but also in land transportation, to make
\nareas more accessible to cruise ships.<\/p>\n
Many attractive tourist destinations in the country were not
\naccessible, because their ports were too shallow, he said.<\/p>\n
A source from Vista Express Tours and Travel, one of the few
\nlocal tour operators providing excursions for cruise passengers,
\nsaid provinces with ports accessible to cruise ships included
\nJakarta, Semarang, Surabaya, Bali, Padang, Manado, Ambon and
\nIrian Jaya.<\/p>\n
She echoed Arievaldy's opinion, saying the greatest problem
\nfaced by her company and cruise operators was the limited number
\nof areas suitable for cruise passengers.<\/p>\n
\"Cruise operators have no complaints regarding procedures.
\nThey decide themselves where they want to bring the passengers,
\nand we provide guidance on reaching the nearest tourist spots,\"
\nshe told the Post.<\/p>\n
Director General of Tourism I Gede Ardika recently said
\nforeign cruise operators or companies wanting to open services in
\nIndonesia were allowed to chose their own routes and
\ndestinations.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged a tendency on the government's part to pay
\nmore attention to air and land tourism than sea travel ventures,
\nas the latter had become less popular.<\/p>\n
He said, however, that the government had tried to provide
\nincentives to attract foreign cruise operators to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The government, through the Investment Coordinating Board,
\nhas also given some leeway for foreign investors to open their
\ncruise businesses here,\" he said without elaborating on which
\ninvestors had approached the government.<\/p>\n
He said more incentives, including special tax treatment would
\nbe provided to attract more foreign cruise operators.<\/p>\n
Latest data from the Tourism, Art and Culture Ministry reveals
\nthat the number of foreign tourists traveling to Indonesia on
\ncruise ships rose to 486,442 persons during the first four months
\nthis year, compared to 414,186 persons recorded in the same
\nperiod last year.<\/p>\n
The number of inbound cruise passengers during the first four
\nmonths this year rose by 7.8 percent, while the number of
\ntourists who arrived in aircraft increased by only 5.2 percent.
\n(cst)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-must-act-to-lure-foreign-cruise-ships-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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